Targeted Interference
by MosaicCreme
Summary: [AU] Jasmine Shepard joined the Alliance but instead of following the path that would lead her to save the galaxy, she became a Phantom. Working as an assassin for the Alliance's unofficial program, Jasmine encounters Thane Krios when they are both assigned the same target. Bested by the drell assassin, Jasmine pushes herself to surpass Thane but gets more than she bargained for.
1. Prologue - 2172

**Targeted Interference**

 **Prologue - 2172**

Jasmine stopped on the corner and looked around the deserted street. The sun would be up soon, and she needed to find a place to crash. She'd been up for three days, riding the high from the last of her red sand. And it was the last. She'd promised herself that. Jasmine rarely made promises but when she did, she kept them. She was definitely, definitely, done with all the crap she'd been doing to get more.

She pulled her shaking hands from the pockets of her beat up leather jacket and shook a cigarette out of the pack. Jasmine looked around her again as she lit the cigarette and leaned against the brick wall behind her. A light came on in a window across the street; the sign above the door blinked on, and Jasmine saw the Systems Alliance insignia pop up on the screen. The insignia faded away to be replaced with the words 'Systems Alliance—Enlist Today!'

 _Three hots and a cot, right? Shit, I can get the same thing in jail with less bullshit in the process._

Jasmine took a deep drag off of her cigarette, squinting her hazel eyes against the glow. She exhaled as she watched more lights come on in the Alliance building and caught sight of three men in uniform milling about the office. One of them stopped in the window and looked right at her. She didn't figure he could see her very well, but she got a good look at him. She guessed him to be in his early forties judging by the amount of gray mixed in with the brown. She couldn't see the finer lines around his eyes from across the street, but she could tell the sun had weathered his skin over the years. He stood like all Alliance stood.

 _Like they have a stick up their ass. What is he trying out for the Alliance's poster boy? Why is he watching me? That's creepy._

Movement from above caught Jasmine's attention and she turned her head to see a skycar coming in from the north. She knew that soon, the area would be filled with skycars as people made their way to sit in their tiny cubicles and feed their souls to the machine. She pushed away from the wall, the bricks tugging at a few strands from her long ponytail as she went, making her wince. She drug the heels of her boots across the pavement as she willed her tired legs onward, dismissing the skycar and the Alliance recruiting office from her mind. Jasmine focused her attention on finding a place to crash.

 _That warehouse isn't far, just a few blocks. Better than nothing. Won't be anyone around and it'll be quiet. I'll be out of sight._

"Hey baby, you need a ride somewhere?"

Jasmine's head jerked at the voice. She cursed herself for letting someone sneak up on her. The light blue skycar had dropped low enough to pull up beside her as she walked and a hooded man leaned out of the passenger window, his features indistinct in the first rays of sunrise.

"No, I'm good. Thanks," Jasmine said.

"You sure? We can take you wherever you wanna go, honey." He turned his head to look at the driver briefly. "Or you could just ride with us. Let us see what you got going on under that jacket."

 _Real slick, moron. I bet you think that hood makes you look mysterious._

"I said I'm good, now fuck off," Jasmine said.

Jasmine picked up the pace hoping that the assholes in the skycar would get the point and leave her alone. _Of course_ , she thought when she heard the car stop and the doors open. She didn't run. _Never run, they like the chase too much._ Instead she braced herself for what she knew was coming. She could hear the rushed footsteps pounding the pavement behind her and tried to estimate how many of them there were. _Two… three? I can do two or three._ A hand grabbed her shoulder and tried to pull her back. Jasmine spun around and rammed her lit cigarette into Mr. Mysterious' face. He howled in pain and shock, the sound bringing his fellow would-be attackers up short. Jasmine followed up by ramming her fist into his nose.

"Bitch!" he yelled.

The two others took that as their cue and moved in, trying to flank her. One of them looked about Jasmine's age, seventeen. His acne scarred face stood out against his close cropped, blond hair. She guessed the other as being in his mid-twenties. It was hard to tell with his New York Yankees baseball cap casting shadows over his face in the dim light. Jasmine pulled her knife out of her pocket and flipped it open with practiced ease. She held it in front of her for them to see, hoping it would make them change their minds. She'd never actually used it on anyone before, but she damn sure would if they forced her hand.

"Hey, what's going on over there?" The masculine voice carried to Jasmine's ears from down the street but she didn't dare turn her head to see where it came from.

"Grab the whore and get her in the car!" The Yankee moved in on her right and tried to make a grab for her arm, but she slashed the knife through the air making him think twice.

 _Whore?! I am not a fucking whore!_

Mr. Mysterious recovered from the shock of his broken nose enough to charge at Jasmine. She held the knife out in front of her but he kept moving. She stumbled as she retreated, feeling like a shuttle facing down a frigate. She watched in horror as he bent his knees and propelled forward, his feet leaving the concrete as he threw himself at her. Jasmine jumped to the side and he landed face first, cracking his forehead on the sidewalk. The Yankee grabbed her arms and pulled her backwards toward the car. She kicked and screamed and when that didn't work she dug the heels of her combat boots into the sidewalk.

"Get the fuck off of me!" Jasmine remembered she still had the knife and swung her arm down, embedding it in the man's thigh before ripping it out again. "Let me go you son-of-a-bitch!"

He tightened his grip on Jasmine's arm as he screamed and called her every name he could think of. Under different circumstances, Jasmine would have criticized him for his lack of creativity. The man slammed his head into the back of hers in retaliation, she saw stars and her body started to go slack.

"Let the girl go and turn around slowly." The world spun in Jasmine's head, making it sound like the voice came from all around her.

"Shit, he's got a gun, Jake. Let her go," Blondie said.

He threw Jasmine to the ground. "Yeah, well so do I."

Jasmine heard the sound of a gun being fired as she pushed herself up on scraped palms. Shoving loose locks of her long, black hair out of her face, she looked up to see The Yankee drop to the ground. He landed on his chest a few feet away, his head turned to the side. His eyes stared, opened wide in shock. Jasmine didn't realize he was dead until she saw the blood start to trickle out of the little hole in his forehead. His baseball cap lay on the ground between the two of them. With it gone, she could see his face more clearly and thought him closer to thirty.

She looked up to see the man from the Alliance recruitment office window holding Blondie at gunpoint. Jasmine could see a dark stain spreading down the front of the kid's pants. Mr. Mysterious started to move and the man in the uniform pointed the gun at him instead. Jasmine heard police sirens wailing in the distance.

"Stay down, or I will shoot," the Alliance poster boy said.

 _Oh shit. He's not going to shoot me is he? I was just defending myself. He saw that right? I'm the victim here._

Impressed Mr. Mysterious was actually smart enough to listen to the order, she started to push herself up to sit on the sidewalk. She watched for any sign of alarm from the man with his finger on the trigger as she moved. She glanced at her knife. If she had to, if she really had to, she thought she could get to it before he shot her. She turned her eyes back to Poster Boy, but he had his attention on Blondie. He ordered Blondie to lie on the ground and put his hands behind his head.

"You alright ma'am?" Poster Boy asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just want to go," Jasmine said.

"I understand, ma'am, and I'm sorry but I can't let you leave. The police are going to want to speak with you," he said.

"Damn it," Jasmine whispered.

The sun's rays broke over the horizon, giving light to the gruesome scene around her. Blood smeared the tawny skin of her palms, and she thought she now had it on her face. Her dark blue jeans had new holes in both knees and the soles of her already worn through boots flapped loose. At least her jacket didn't look any worse. Her stomach twisted when she realized that the cuts on her palms barely bled. Most of the blood had come from Mr. Mysterious and The Yankee. She saw the red puddle growing around the dead man inching its way toward her.

Jasmine pushed herself up to her feet and held her palms out to the man with the gun. "I just don't want any more of his blood on me."

"Christ. How old are you?" he asked.

"Seventeen, almost eighteen," Jasmine said.

The police skycars arrived and officers spilled out over the scene. Jasmine stood off to the side, wishing she could make herself as invisible as she felt most days. The cops slapped handcuffs on Blondie and Mr. Mysterious, pulling them to their feet by their wrists. Another officer bent down to check for The Yankee's pulse and shook his head when he found none.

An ambulance arrived and the EMTs checked the body a second time, recording something on a datapad. Officers moved about taking pictures of the scene and setting out little yellow numbered triangles. When the EMTs finished, a female officer pointed them in Jasmine's direction. They followed her over and waited a few feet away while the female officer took pictures of Jasmine's injuries. The nametag on her uniform said Johnson. She swabbed the blood on Jasmine's palms and the back of her jeans, sliding each swab into a little plastic vial and labeling it with something Jasmine couldn't read. She put the vials into a bag and marked it before holding Jasmine's hands over an envelope and raking a plastic spatula under her nails. She closed the envelope and put that into its own bag.

"Were you sexually assaulted, ma'am?" She didn't even make eye contact with Jasmine as she asked, she just kept her eyes on her datapad.

"What? No. They just grabbed me, tried to get me into their car." Jasmine ran her eyes over the scene once more.

 _I just want to go to sleep and forget this ever happened._

"Alright ma'am. One of the other officers will come by to take your statement." She nodded to the EMTs as she returned to her skycar.

 _Crap, how long is this going to take?_

Jasmine watched through heavy lids as the EMTs cleaned and bandage her hands. She hissed through clenched teeth as they prodded the tender lump on her head. They were gentle and spoke softly to her as the worked, explaining what they were doing at each step. They shined a light in her eyes and asked her to follow along with her eyes as one of them moved a finger back and forth in front of her face. They told her that they didn't believe her skull had been fractured, and she wasn't showing signs of a concussion but that they could take her to the hospital if she wanted to be safe.

She shook her head. "I'm fine, I just want to go."

They sent information on what she should be alert for, and when she should seek medical attention to her omni-tool before leaving her alone. She shuffled around nervously when the Alliance Poster Boy stepped away from one of the cops and walked over to her.

"They said I can take you inside until they're ready to talk to you. Come on, we'll get you cleaned up and get you some coffee or something," he said.

"What about my knife?" Jasmine asked.

"They'll probably take it in as evidence, I'm sorry," he said.

"Damn it." Jasmine rubbed the arm of her jacket across her forehead. "Alright."

Jasmine followed him, keeping her head low to avoid the sun. The other two men she'd seen earlier stood staring out the window at the commotion. The older of the two, with graying hair and a pinched expression, held the door open for them and saluted.

"I'm Service Chief Geoffrey Williams. What's your name, kid?" Geoffrey asked.

"Jasmine," she said.

"Nice name. Pretty. Jasmine what?" Geoffrey asked.

"Shepard," Jasmine said.

Geoffrey nodded and turned to address the two men. "Rutherford, show Ms. Shepard here where the restroom is so she can wash up. Sanders, get Ms. Shepard a cup of coffee."

The two men saluted before going about following their orders.

"Right this way, ma'am." Rutherford, the same man who held the door open now gestured towards the back of the office.

Jasmine followed him down a hall and stepped inside the small bathroom. She locked the door behind her and used a damp paper towel to wash the blood from her face. She carefully felt the back of her head and heaved a sigh of relief when she found nothing more than a knot.

 _Maybe the police will leave me alone after they take a statement. It was self-defense; Poster Boy will tell them what he saw. Shit, my cigarettes._

Jasmine spotted a lip above the door frame and dug her cigarettes out of her pocket. She had to reach on her tip-toes to hide the pack and lighter, thinking she'd come back for them later. Jasmine opened the bathroom door and paused when she realized Rutherford had waited just outside. She gave the severe looking man a wary look. He gestured back down the hall and Jasmine started walking. She glanced back to see him following her, the hairs rising on the back of her neck. She reached the main waiting area and saw Geoffrey sitting at a desk near the front door. A cup of steaming coffee sat in front of two other chairs on the other side. He waved her over and she hesitated until she remembered the man behind her. Jasmine squared her shoulders and crossed the floor to stand in front of Geoffrey's desk.

"How's your head?" he asked.

"What?" Jasmine responded.

"Your head. Is it bleeding?" Geoffrey asked.

"Oh, no. There's just a knot," she said.

He nodded his head at the empty chairs. "Have some coffee while you wait."

Jasmine sat and stared at the cup. With the adrenaline wearing off, she felt even more sluggish than before. She balanced the cup with her fingertips, keeping the hot ceramic off her bandaged palms and took a sip. A bell went off over the door as an officer walked inside. He looked around until he spotted Jasmine and made a beeline for her. Jasmine sat up straight and tried not to cower. _I didn't do anything wrong. He's got no reason to take me in. None._ Another cop entered and asked to speak to Geoffrey somewhere else, so he left the desk and took the officer to a side room.

"I'm Officer Daryl Henry. I just need to ask you a few questions about what happened this morning. Get your side of the story. Do you mind if I sit with you?" Daryl pointed at the chair next to Jasmine.

She nodded her head. He pulled the chair out and turned it to face her before sitting down. Jasmine put the mug back on the desk and picked at the bandages with her hands in her lap. _Maybe they won't ask about the burn. Last thing I need right now is another ticket._ She showed him her ID when he asked and watched as he scanned it with his omni-tool. She chewed at her lip when her mugshots popped up on his screen.

He confirmed that she didn't know the men prior to the altercation and asked which direction they came from. He didn't believe her when she said that she broke Mr. Mysterious' nose, asking her if it hadn't been Service Chief Williams who'd done it instead. Jasmine rolled her eyes and said she was sure. She told him everything she could remember about what the men said and did, as well as how she responded skipping over the cigarette burn.

Jasmine scratched her cheek when he asked about the burn. He kept his eyes steady on her, waiting out her silence. She let out a sigh and admitted that she had shoved her lit cigarette in his face when he grabbed her. The officer looked at her then back at her rap sheet and grunted.

 _I guess he's got bigger things to worry about than slapping my wrist for smoking. I'll be eighteen in two months anyway._

She started to get uneasy when he asked her about the knife. _I'm not in trouble for that, right? It's legal, I checked!_ She told him it belonged to her father, the only thing she had left from him. _Besides his last name and the memory of him walking out on mom. Mom killed herself a month later, and he was nowhere to be found until his name showed up in the obituaries a year later._ The officer made a note and moved on, asking her where she had come from and where she was going. Jasmine didn't answer right away and the officer looked up from his datapad.

"I was just out." Jasmine shrugged.

"Just out?" Daryl repeated.

"Yeah," Jasmine nodded, "just out."

He stared at her in silence but she didn't offer him any further explanation.

"Ms. Shepard, it says here that you're emancipated. Is there anyone you want us to call? Someone who can come get you?" Daryl asked.

"There isn't anyone to call. I'll be alright," Jasmine said.

"I see. I'm sorry but we're going to have to take your dad's knife into evidence. It will be released to you once the case is closed. I'll need a way to contact you in case I have any further questions," Daryl said.

Jasmine gave him her extranet address, and he frowned.

"It's all I got," she said.

Geoffrey and the other cop returned from the other room to stand in the middle of the office. Daryl excused himself and went to talk to his partner while Geoffrey took a seat behind his desk. Jasmine stayed put, unsure whether she could leave yet or not.

"Probably just a trick gone bad, johns got a little rough with her and she fought back." Daryl spoke in hushed tones to his partner but Jasmine heard it anyway.

"I'm not a whore." Jasmine stared daggers at the cop.

Daryl turned towards her and raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"I said I'm not a goddamn whore. I wasn't doing anything wrong. I was just walking down the street, and those creeps attacked me," Jasmine said.

"Ma'am, it's clear that you're strung out. You're not the first junkie I've seen turn to prostitution to get their fix. We're not here to arrest you, so I suggest you settle down before you give us a reason to." The second officer smirked as he shook his head at Jasmine.

Jasmine's eyes bulged, she opened her mouth ready to tear him a new one when Geoffrey shoved his chair away from the desk and cleared his throat. She watched as he moved around the desk and stood in front of her, making himself a wall between Jasmine and the officers.

"Excuse me officers, but I believe you have both of our statements. I'm sure that you can contact either of us with any further questions. You've made it clear that you do not intend to arrest Ms. Shepard this morning, so I think I can take it from here. I'll make sure Ms. Shepard is returned home safely," Geoffrey said.

"Listen, Mr. Williams –," Daryl said.

"Service Chief Williams," Geoffrey corrected.

"Service Chief Williams. With all due respect, sir, we've seen this kind of thing hundreds of times. The kid doesn't have a home, she's strung out on drugs—probably red sand and—," Daryl said.

"Officers, with all due respect your job is done here. Please don't make me place a call to Lieutenant Johnson. She really hates being disturbed this early in the morning," Geoffrey said.

The smirk slowly dissolved off of the second officer's face as Daryl tucked his datapad away. "Of course. Thank you for your time, sir."

Geoffrey escorted the two men to the door and then turned to watch them out of the window as they returned to their patrol car and flew away. Other police skycars remained down the block as they finished with the scene. Jasmine stood up on shaky legs, drawing the service chief's attention back to her.

"Thanks," she said. "I should go."

"Wait, Ms. Shepard. Let me give you a ride," Geoffrey said.

"No, really, it's alright. I'm not going far," Jasmine said.

"You look like you're about to pass out where you stand. Please, let me take you wherever you're going," Geoffrey said.

Jasmine rubbed her hands up and down her upper arms and nodded her head. "Can I use the bathroom again first?"

"Of course. I'll meet you outside," he said.

Jasmine retrieved her cigarettes and left the Alliance office. A skycar waited for her just outside, the door already lifted open. Geoffrey waited for her to shut the door and buckle her seatbelt before he asked her where she wanted to go. She pointed in the direction of the warehouse and he took off.

"You can just let me out here." About a block from the warehouse, Jasmine pointed down at the street.

"Are you sure?" He looked around the area, "I know it really isn't my business but this _is_ _not_ a good neighborhood."

 _No place I'm at is ever a good neighborhood. People like Officer Dickhead work real hard to keep people like me out of good neighborhoods._

"I – I don't have anywhere else to go. There's a place not far from here where I can get some sleep. I'll be alright," she said.

 _Shit, why am I telling him this? Why'd I even let him drive me here? Come on dude, just put the car down and let me out._

The skycar hovered over the street as Geoffrey looked out the window. "You know … we've got a guest room, and my wife could actually really use someone to help her out around the house."

 _Right. What's the catch?_

"Why would you do that? You don't know me. What if everything those cops said was right?" Jasmine raised her eyebrow.

Geoffrey slowly turned the skycar around. Jasmine didn't tell him to stop; instead she turned in her seat to stare at him.

 _What do you want? If you're thinking you can get some easy action for saving me you're sorely mistaken._

"I think they got it wrong. I think they got you wrong." He glanced at her. "I think that you've had it rough and maybe you need to get clean but if you're willing to accept the help, we can get you there. My wife is a drug rehabilitation counselor."

 _Ah, that's what this is. Service Chief Williams has a hero complex. You think you're going to save me Chief? Right. Like I haven't heard that before. I don't need you to save me. I'll save my own damn self._

"If that's why you're doing this then you don't need to worry about it. I'm done with red sand. I'm done with all of it. I've already made up my mind and trust me, once my mind is made up, it doesn't change easily," she said.

"That's good then, you're headed in the right direction. It isn't easy. It'll be a rough ride, and you'll need someone to help get you through it. That's not why I'm doing this, though," he said.

"Then why?" Jasmine watched him with narrowed eyes.

Geoffrey took his time answering, his eyes on the traffic ahead. "You didn't run. You stood your ground, and you fought. I admire that."

"If I'd run, they'd only chase me. I know assholes like that. The chase is half the fun for them," she said.

"That's a shame," he said.

"What?" she asked.

"That you know assholes like that. So, should I turn the car back around, or will you accept the help I'm offering?" Geoffrey glanced at her again.

 _Would it really be so bad? A hot shower. A dry bed. Maybe even some real food? It's not like I have to stay. It's not like he's going to keep me around for more than a day or two anyway. If he gets handsy I can always walk. Then again, he does carry a gun and it sure as hell looked like he has no trouble hitting his target. Why is he even doing this? Damn, I'm tired. What does he really want? Shit I can't even think straight right now. Screw it._

Jasmine turned to look back out of the window and bit her lip. "Yeah. Okay. It's gotta be better than a dirty warehouse floor."

* * *

Jasmine spent the next six months living with the Williams family. Her eighteenth birthday came and went, but still they didn't tell her she had to leave. She endured the hell and got clean just like she promised herself she would. The first few days were the worst as she suffered through withdrawal. She spent her days holed up in the guest bedroom tossing and turning on sweat-soaked sheets. She thought it would be less painful to set herself on fire, and she couldn't keep anything down. Not a minute went by that she didn't have to fight against the voice in her head telling her to rob the Williams family blind and score some red sand. Just to make the pain go away.

She made it through, though and she knew that Karin Williams was largely to thank. Jasmine thought that woman truly did have the patience of a saint. She sat at Jasmine's side through the worst of it, and remained steadfast even when Jasmine fought against her. Jasmine couldn't bring herself to call the Williams family her family, even if their children had taken to calling her their new big sister. In fact, Jasmine did her best to keep her distance from the three girls, Jessica, Angela, and Samantha. She didn't want the girls to know about her past, or who she had been, afraid that it would corrupt them.

Jasmine felt good. For the first time in her life, she felt like she belonged somewhere. She felt like they wanted her there. She also knew, though, that it couldn't last forever and she needed to do something. She needed to get her on her own two feet, and a plan to get her life in order.

"Mr. Williams?" Jasmine leaned against the door frame that led to Geoffrey's home office.

"Jasmine, when will you stop calling me that?" Geoffrey asked.

"Sorry, sir. I uh – have you got a minute to talk?" Jasmine asked.

"Sure, come on in. What's on your mind?" He closed the lid on his laptop and spun his chair to face the small couch as she sat down.

"Your work, you do recruitment right?" Jasmine asked.

"Yes, for the time being. Why, what's up?" he asked.

Jasmine squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. "I want to enlist."


	2. Alexander Marquis

**A/N:** I would like to thank the lovely MizDirected for taking the time to act as beta for _Targeted Interference_.

 **Alexandre Marquis**

 _Who the fuck is that?_ Jasmine's eyes strained to pierce the darkness of the shadows across the expanse. _Did they send someone to watch me?! One time, I fucked up one time in three years as a Phantom and they've got a tail on me now?_ His posture mimicking Jasmine's, the blurry silhouette revealed nothing more of the man on the opposite catwalk.

She suppressed a growl and turned her attention back to her target, Alexandre Marquis. The dossier the Alliance gave her detailed him as forty-two years of age, six-foot-two, and a hundred-eighty-three pounds. Marquis and his wife, forty-year-old Ella Marquis, had a twenty-year-old son named John. The Alliance suspected Marquis of running an arms trade with batarian slavers. Jasmine reviewed the evidence they had and didn't think it very substantial, which is exactly why she had been sent to kill him. The Alliance wanted dangerous men like. Marquis out of the equation, and if they couldn't take someone like him out above board, they sent in a Phantom.

Swinging her sniper rifle into position, Jasmine put her eye to the scope. Marquis paced the floor of the office down below. Unsure, whether the glass was reinforced or not, Jasmine didn't dare take the risk of trying to fire through the wall to hit her target. A misjudgment on her part would alert Marquis that his life was in danger. Even normal glass could still pose a problem, if hit at the wrong angle it would shatter. If it didn't shatter, it would leave a perfect hole that could be used to trace the trajectory of her shot, leading C-Sec straight to her perch. She didn't see any reason to risk them finding any trace evidence she might accidentally leave behind.

 _And it would be an exceptionally stupid move with Big Brother Phantom over there watching._

She resisted the urge to look at the mysterious figure again. Jasmine ignored the cramping in her arms and waited. _I wonder who they sent. I bet it's Raul. Smug asshole._

Marquis threw his hand up in frustration. His face reddened as he yelled at the two other men in the room. According to her intel, they were Michael Vaddik and James Roman. They worked for Marquis at his shipping company, Marquis' Shipping and Supplies, running the cargo lines. Unimportant laborers on paper, but in reality thugs Marquis used as bodyguards in his arms trade. Jasmine wouldn't lose any sleep if a stray bullet hit one of them, but they weren't her target so she ignored them.

 _Come on you asshole, leave your office so I can go home._

Jasmine ripped her face away from the scope to look at the office. The glass wall began to darken; someone had activated the privacy function. _Damn it._ She took a second to glance at the Phantom across the expanse, but he had disappeared. _Damn it, damn it, damn it._ Jasmine pressed her eye back to the scope, she couldn't see through the glass at all. She had to move. Jasmine slung her rifle over her shoulder and followed the catwalk towards the office.

She rounded a steel I-beam support and saw the other Phantom crouched down low, balanced on a horizontal beam above the ceiling panels. A ventilation panel set into the tiles just in front of him, letting thin streams of light into the area. _The fuck? Is he stealing my target?!_ Jasmine inched her way out on to the beam, her movement bringing the attention of the Phantom. He turned his head a fraction of an inch in her direction but it was enough for the light to catch his face.

 _Definitely not Raul. Is that—shit that's a drell. Who the hell is he?_

The man with green, scaled skin and black orbs for eyes removed the ventilation panel, sliding it out of the ceiling without making a sound. Jasmine quickened her pace as the stranger grippd the metal beam and dropped into the room. _Shit._ Moving to the opening, she settled her rifle into high ready. _Where's Marquis? Where? Where? There._ Jasmine lined up a shot while Marquis fled from the pistol-wielding assassin below. The guards already sprawled across the floor, their heads twisted at unnatural angles. She pulled the trigger. Her shot was high and off center next to the hole left by the stranger.

The drell lowered his gun as Marquis dropped to the floor. He didn't even bother to turn and look at her as he put his pistol away and moved to crouch in front of Marquis. When he stood again, Jasmine saw that he had crossed Marquis' arms over his chest and now stood with his hands clasped and his head bowed. _Is he praying? Christ, who is this guy?_ Jasmine pushed her sniper rifle around to the side and opened her omni-tool. She kept one eye on the assassin as she activated the camera app and snapped a quick picture. She looked at the image on the holoscreen to be sure she got him before lifting her eyes to him once more. He had turned his body at an angle, giving her a smaller target. With his face lifted to the light, she could see that his eyes weren't in fact solid black orbs but beneath a darkened layer moved more humanlike green eyes. Jasmine shifted her omni-tool and tapped the button again, taking another picture of the alien with Marquis' corpse in the background.

A biotic Warp slammed into Jasmine. Her muscles locked tight, tying themselves into knots as she tried desperately to keep her balance. She crashed through the ceiling panel, falling flat on her back feeling as if she were being twisted and torn into a million pieces. Jasmine writhed on the floor trying to pull air into her lungs and get her feet under her again. He appeared over her, his foot casually sweeping her rifle aside as he grabbed her wrist and tried to flip her to her stomach. Her fitted jeans tugged uncomfortably as she rolled forward. He followed her roll, adjusting to maintain his grip.

No matter what she did, he countered her every attempt to break free, blocking every effort to take control of the situation. _I can't beat him. He's going to kill me._ Panic reached for her like a stranger's hands in the night, but she shoved it away. The air rushed back in her lungs as he twisted her shoulder behind her, tearing loose a pained gasp. She regretted her choice of fitted jeans and leather jacket; they didn't give her the flexibility she really needed in hand to hand combat.

"I have no contract for you. I only want the photographs. I can't allow you to keep them," he said.

 _Damn it, I need those!_

Her leather jacket creaked as she stiffened her arm, leaning into the pressure on her shoulder. Forcing him to shift his weight, she kicked out behind her, catching him in the knee. She yanked her arm free and spun around to see a pistol in her face. She eased back, his eyes tracking her every move making her feel like prey.

 _Don't run. Never run, they like the chase too much._

"Erase them and you are free to go," he said.

She'd never seen a drell outside of the Alliance training files before. Her eyes studied him, taking in the nuances of his features. She assessed and catalogued them, trying to commit them to memory. If she survived this, she might need to identify him, and she didn't think she was going to survive this if she didn't delete the photographs. Her mind flailed, trying to latch on to what she could remember about them.

 _Denser muscles and crest will make it more difficult to snap his neck. Not impossible, though. Drell can inflate their throats or something like that, which means … which means what? Oh, strangulation and suffocation are more difficult. Three chambered heart. Shit, is that weakness or a strength? What am I forgetting?_

"Who are you?" Jasmine asked.

He tilted his head a fraction of a centimeter to the side. "Who are you?"

"Fair enough." Jasmine glanced at her sniper rifle.

She calculated her odds. Her sniper rifle laid three feet away, the door six, and the assassin four. She had a pistol secured to her back and three knives strapped to her calf concealed by her boot.

"Erase them or I will." The soft rumble of his voice told her nothing of how he intended to accomplish that.

Jasmine dropped her arm to her side and shifted her weight, standing perpendicular to the drell. She knew she couldn't get past him, and no way would she be able to get to any of her weapons before he put a bullet between her eyes.

 _Fuck me._

He didn't respond, and she didn't know how long he would continue to play nice.

 _Fuck._

"Fine, I'll take another of just him." Jasmine opened her omni-tool and ran her fingers over the screen pulling up the images.

"Show me," he said.

Jasmine narrowed her eyes at the assassin and turned her arm out so he could see as she deleted the two photos. With the last two photos deleted, the holoscreen displayed an image of Dr. Eileen Easley, her last target.

"All gone, see? Now what?" Jasmine asked.

He circled around her until he got to the desk and stepped up on the mounted, reinforced glass surface. He slipped his pistol behind his brown leather jacket before lunging for the opening in the ceiling. Pulling himself back up through the vent hole with impressive ease, he disappeared from her sight. Jasmine watched the empty space for a few seconds before picking up her sniper rifle and slinging it over her back.

She moved over to Marquis and snapped a quick picture before glancing at the darkened door. She couldn't go out that way, she'd be seen. _Damn it._ She looked up at the ceiling where the alien had disappeared and bit her lip.

 _This isn't going to be pretty._

With a running start, Jasmine pushed off the desk and launched herself at the ceiling. Scrabbling for purchase, she grabbed a hold of the metal stripping and swung her legs up to gain leverage on the shattered tiles. Noise at the door urged her on as she used her feet to push herself up. The metal stripping began to creak and groan beneath her thought she heard the door open, the noise barely audible over the thunder of her heartbeat.

 _Shit. Shit. Shit._

"Mr. Marquis? Shit, there up there! Grab 'em, don't let 'em get away," a man's voice came from beneath her.

Jasmine pushed again, slapping her palm on the lip of the I-beam. A green hand wrapped around her forearm and pulled. Not wanting to look a gift horse in the mouth, she clung to his leather jacket with both hands. Someone grabbed her ankles and yanked. Her eyes growing wide with panic, Jasmine jerked a foot free and slammed it down into her assailant's face. His nose gave way with a satisfying crunch, bring a pained yelp as his hands fell away. Relief flooded her as she felt the satisfying crunch of the man's nose breaking beneath her heel as he let her go. The drell pulled her through the hole. Jasmine clung to his jacket, her face and chest pressed awkwardly against him as she regained her footing. Pulling away, she eyed him warily.

 _Why did you help me?_

Bullets ripped through the ceiling tiles, ricocheting off the metal beneath their feet. With no time to hesitate, Jasmine ran until she was clear of the ceiling. Her pistol trained on the ventilation hole, she paused long enough to look back at the assassin but he'd vanished again. Her chest heaved and she could hear her pulse throbbing in her skull as she strained her eyes against the darkness, fruitlessly searching for the drell.

* * *

Thane watched from the shadows as the human fled. She was an unknown quantity. Unexpected. He didn't like that. He had watched her as she made her way through the series of catwalks and chose her sniper perch. Her movements told him that she had training, so not a mercenary thug. Yet still wet behind her ears as the humans said. Still, she had managed to land a single kick to his knee.

 _She required proof of Marquis' death. She took my picture as well. For what purpose? To show her employer? To confirm my identification? No, she asked who I was and showed no sign of familiarity. Perhaps merely to show due diligence in her reports._

He followed her, staying to the darkest shadow and moving silently. He paused when she stopped and looked first behind her and then around the catwalks trying to find him. He needed to know who she was and who sent her. She stuck to the catwalks as she moved, weaving her way through the hidden areas of the Citadel. She skirted past a keeper before ducking into one of the few maintenance access rooms connecting the wards.

He watched from above as she reappeared on the floor below. Her sniper rifle retracted, hidden beneath her jacket careful not to reveal it as she moved. Most people wouldn't be able to pick out the weapon; he could see it, though. The hanar had trained him well. He continued to follow her from the catwalks until it became disadvantageous to do so, and then he dropped down over the edge into the shadows and watched. He would have to stay further behind her from the ground, but he wouldn't lose her.

She moved through the wards and headed towards Chora's Den. Thane's brows furrowed but he followed, waiting for her to disappear inside before making his way to the door. He could hear the thumping bass from the music already and dreaded going inside but he did as he must. He spotted her immediately; she stood with her back to him talking to one of the bar's few human employees while scantily clad asari tried to attract her attention. The waitress pointed to the back of the bar, and his target's head turned to look before nodding.

She stepped away from the waitress and made her way to the back. Thane skirted the round bar in the opposite direction, keeping her in his sights through the crowd. She stepped into a hall and he moved into position, pressing his back against the doorway and glancing after her. She stopped just a few feet in and opened her omni-tool, her back to the doorway. He pulled himself back behind cover when her feet shifted, indicating her turn before she made the movement.

He listened from the doorway as she placed a call. His eyes quickly scanned the area until he found her reflection in the mirrored surface of a nearby table and watched. A human male appeared on her holoscreen, his image distorted from Thane's viewpoint.

"Phantom AC3H5." She glanced over her shoulder again before turning back to the screen.

"Report, Phantom," the man on the screen said.

"The target has been eliminated but there were … complications." She shifted her weight, her spine stiffening as she spoke.

"What is the nature of the complication? Do you require extraction?" the man asked.

The woman looked over her shoulder again. "No, I don't think so. There was someone else. I believe he was after the same target. I was… I was seen again."

"How many saw you and can any of them give a description of your likeness?" he asked.

"No one else saw my face. The others worked for Marquis and they only saw my legs… well and one of them got to see my boot up close and personal," she said.

"One can recognize you then. Do you have a description for him? Any indication of who he works for or if was he on his own?" the man asked.

"I don't think he's going to be a problem," she said.

"That's not what I asked," he said.

"He uh… he mentioned a contract but that's all I know." She shifted to look over her shoulder again.

"Can you describe him for me?" he asked.

"Sure, he looked like a giant, fit gecko." Jasmine rubbed her head, trying to soothe her agitation. "He was a drell, that's about all I got."

"What details do you remember? Any particular markings or patterns that you can describe?" he asked.

She shifted her weight and looked over her shoulder once more. "Uh, no. I didn't get that good of a look at him. He stayed to the shadows."

Thane smiled and nodded at an asari who came to dance in front of him. He watched the human's reflection out of the corner of his eye and continued to listen as he smiled encouragingly at the asari.

 _She is lying, she saw me perfectly. I watched her eyes as she appraised the details of my face and form. Others would have killed her for that alone._

"Alright. We've got a hanar contact, I'll see if he knows of any drell in the area. In the meantime, send in your report, and I'll send you your next dossier. Somewhere off the Citadel. I suggest you wait an hour or so before making your way to the transport," he said.

"What's going to happen?" she asked.

"For Christ's sake. You ask too many questions, Phantom," the man said.

The screen went dark. "And no one ever seems to answer any of them."

* * *

Jasmine closed her omni-tool and crossed the bar claiming a seat in one of the alcoves that lined the rounded walls. She'd barely had a chance to sit when an asari climbed on the table in front of her. _Why the hell not? I'm probably going to get pulled from active as soon as Leon hears about this. I can't believe I was seen again. I'm so screwed. This is worse than Dr. Easley._

Jasmine opened her omni-tool to look at the picture of Marquis. She slid her finger across the image, dismissing it and pulling up the next. The picture of Dr. Easley stared back at her. Taken from a rooftop on Earth, across the street from Dr. Easley's clinic, the photo showed her lifeless eyes turned to the camera. Blood matted her blond hair and stained her white lab coat crimson. Another doctor, a man named Dr. Robert Anders, stood just inside the frame. He had seen Jasmine seconds after she'd taken the photo. A vague description of her had circulated the media the same day. By the next day the Alliance had made it disappear but not before making sure Jasmine knew what it cost them to do so. She'd gotten a call from Geoffrey that night. Only one of a handful of people who knew what she really did in the Alliance, he didn't approve of her position, but he did his best to support her. It had been five years since she'd seen Geoffrey in person, six since that night he saved her life.

Jasmine caught the waitress' eye and waved her over. She ordered a drink and sat back in the chair to take in the pale blue beauty in front of her. The waitress returned with her drink and shook her head when Jasmine tried to hand her a credit chit.

"It's already been paid for, ma'am," the waitress said.

Jasmine sat up straight and glanced around the area. "By whom?"

"That gentleman right over there." The waitress pointed.

Jasmine's eyes followed the woman's hand as she pointed across the room to another alcove. _Fantastic, it's him._ Her body tensed, telling her it was time to fight or flee. He sat facing her, not far from the door. His arms stretched out across the back of the booth, and he rested one ankle on the other knee. He watched her without expression, the intensity of his gaze burning through Jasmine like hot pokers and belying his relaxed posture. Jasmine turned back to the waitress and thanked her, lifting the glass from her tray. She tipped the asari dancer, taking the excuse to try and calm her racing heart before she stepped out of the alcove. He continued to watch her as she crossed the bar and came to a stop in front of him. She slowly sat the drink down in front of him, but he kept his eyes on her.

"You made it out, then," Jasmine said.

"Does that disappoint you?" He gestured to the booth across from him.

Jasmine hesitated, looking around her before she took a seat. He adjusted himself in the booth to face her.

"It would have made my life easier if you hadn't," she said with a shrug, "but no. I didn't get the chance to thank you. Now I'm wondering if you're here because you've changed your mind. What's in the drink?"

He clasped his hands on the table in front of him, separating them long enough to gesture at the bar.

"You would have to ask the waitress," he said.

Jasmine tapped a finger on the table. She couldn't read him the way she could a human. She couldn't tell honesty from deception with him, and it put her on edge.

"Why are you here, Mr. …?" Jasmine asked.

"You may call me Tannor, if you must call me something. I thought perhaps we could talk," he said.

 _An alias, of course._

Jasmine looked around the room again. Her eyes checked the positions of people nearby. She looked to see if anyone was listening, or perhaps paying particular attention to her table. No one seemed to pay them any mind.

"I'm listening." She turned her full attention back to the drell.

"I work alone, and I have no intentions of harming you. Had I, you would already be dead," he said.

"What do you want then?" Jasmine asked.

"I told you, to talk. I am interested to know how you came to be … at that particular location today," he said.

Jasmine smirked, amused by his evasive attempts but she wasn't one for etiquette and word games "Let's cut the bullshit. You know damn well what I do, and I know you do the same. You know that I can't tell you anything about it, and I doubt there's much you can tell me."

"I can tell you that you are loud, your work is sloppy. You are new to this profession and would be best served by finding a new one while you still can." He frowned as Jasmine's face pinched in anger. "Forgive me, I did not mean this as an insult. Truly, you show great potential but this is not a path I would suggest to anyone."

Jasmine crossed her arms, trying to ignore the whispers of old doubts coming back to haunt her with the drell's comment. "Then why are _you_ on it?"

"I have – it is too late for me; it is all I know." He bent his elbows and folded his hands just beneath his chin. "It's all I have left."

The answer caught Jasmine off guard, and she dropped her eyes. _That is truth. There's my baseline._ She lifted her eyes again and leaned forward.

"Did you follow me here?" Jasmine asked.

"I did. I wanted to see where you would go." A smile tugged at his lips as he glanced around the bar. "This was not what I expected."

 _He's not even attempting to lie. That's almost disappointing._

Jasmine shrugged. "It's easier to disappear in a crowd. It's loud; people are drunk and busy looking at the dancers. No one will remember me."

"Your employers trained you to do this?" he asked.

 _Not exactly._

"Let's just say it's a lesson life taught me long ago." She shook her head. "What about you? Your employers train you to cut in on other people's jobs and then stalk them across the Citadel?"

"I accepted a contract. You were an unexpected variable, but I remained obligated to uphold my end of the agreement. I showed myself to you so that you would be warned away. You looked right at me, but prepared your shot anyway. You were, as you said, cutting in on my job," he said.

Jasmine scratched her cheek. "I thought you were someone else. Not that it matters, because it was _my_ job. I got there first. That doesn't explain why you followed me here."

"You took my picture. I needed to know who you planned to give it to," he said.

"You eavesdropped on me." Jasmine did her best to keep her tone level and her features flat.

"Indeed." His eyes searched her face as he spoke. "Though it was not as illuminating as I had hoped."

She leaned back against the cushioned booth. "That's why you didn't kill me. Why you helped me get out."

 _Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Oh I am so dead. If he doesn't just kill me now, the Alliance will._

"I didn't kill you because I had no contract for you, and you made no attempt on my life. I saw no reason for you to die. I helped you because I wanted to. I followed you because I have learned to be cautious," he said.

"I had to tell them you saw me." Jasmine licked her lips as her heart began to race. She hid her hands in her lap, afraid he might see them tremble.

"And who are _they?_ " he asked.

She shook her head. "I'm sorry. I can't tell you that."

He studied her quietly for a moment. "You lied to them. You told them you didn't get a good look at me. Why is that?"

 _I don't know. Maybe I shouldn't have._

Jasmine shrugged. "You helped me."

"Will they come looking for me? Because I saw your face?" he asked.

 _He's threatened. I need to diminish that. He needs to see me as insignificant, not worth remembering. Wait, they have eidetic memory. Shit, OK, so he's going to remember me either way. Still … ._

Jasmine smirked. "No, they're not that ruthless, and I'm not that important. If you tell C-Sec, or go to the media they'll make it disappear. If they can't, they'll cut all ties with me and disavow any knowledge of me or my activities. I'll be thrown to the wolves."

"What if they learn you lied?" he asked.

"No, it's my turn. What about you? You said contract, does that mean you're freelance?" Jasmine asked.

"Indeed," he said.

"So, there's no one I need to worry about coming after me because I've seen your face?" Jasmine couldn't help but to glance around the room again but still no one seemed to be paying them any attention.

He smirked. "No, there is no one. Not anymore."

 _Not anymore? So he used to work for someone else, the hanar probably. Maybe I can find something on him if I dig around._

"The other two, Vaddik and Roman, were you hired to kill them as well?" Jasmine asked.

"No, but they were his guards and would have attempted to defend Marquis." He opened his hands turning his palms up as he spoke. "They would have taken my life if given the opportunity. I did not give them that opportunity."

"So why not use a sniper rifle like most? You could have taken Marquis and left the others alive," Jasmine said.

"I prefer a more direct method. You would have spared the others?" His brows twitched.

 _He's challenging me. Testing me. For what?_

"I had my orders, and they weren't targets. I'm not the judge and jury. Just the executioner. It isn't my call to make," Jasmine said.

"These people that you work for, they are the judge and jury?" he asked.

"I suppose so. Someone somewhere up the ladder makes the call, and it gets passed down to me." She shrugged.

"How many others like you are there?" he asked.

She shook her head. "I can't tell you that either."

"Why was Marquis sentenced to your execution, if you can tell me?" He reached out and lifted the glass she had sat down in front of him, and placed a napkin under it before setting it back down.

 _Neat freak? It fits. Stiff posture. Limited facial expressions. Or is that just a drell thing? Guess I know what I'm doing on the transport._

"My people believed him to be trading arms to batarian slavers," Jasmine said. "What about whoever hired you?"

"His actions made him responsible for the death of a man's child." His lips tightened ever so slightly.

 _He has a soft spot for children. He probably doesn't take contracts against kids then. That's good. I might have played judge, jury, and executioner for that._

"You compared me to something during your call. My translator didn't pick it up well. What was it?" he asked.

Jasmine pressed the back of her hand to her mouth, stifling her amusement at having to explain the slur. "A gecko. It's ah, a reptile. A cute little type of lizard on Earth. Sorry, but you shouldn't have heard that."

"You apologize, yet you are laughing," he said.

She cleared her throat, embarrassment finally sinking in. "Yeah, sorry."

Jasmine got a ping on her omni-tool and opened it. An icon flashed, indicating she had a message from her liaison. They wanted her to stay on the Citadel for another two weeks despite the day's incident. They had another target for her scheduled to arrive at the Citadel on business during that time. They would send her a dossier with the targets itinerary later. In the meantime, they suggested she stay out of sight and notify them of any further complications. Jasmine sent one word back in reply, " _Acknowledged."_ She closed her omni-tool and sighed.

"Is there a problem?" He raised his brows.

"No, just looks like I'm stuck on the Citadel for a while. Glad we had this talk, but I should go. Thanks for the drink." Jasmine slid out of the booth and rubbed her still tender shoulder.

"You didn't drink it," he said.

"You didn't drink it either," she said.

"Ah. I don't often consume alcohol. I prefer to keep my senses sharp." He picked up the glass and swallowed half of the drink before setting it carefully back down on the napkin. "It also tastes terrible."

Jasmine laughed and picked up the glass as a show of goodwill. She knocked back the rest of the fruity cocktail and sat the glass back down just as carefully on the napkin. When she looked back at him he chuckled.

"Did I miss something funny?" she asked.

"Do you know nothing about drell?" He chuckled again.

"Of course I do." She bit her lip. "What?"

"The glass wasn't poisoned until it touched my lips." He slid out of the booth and put his hands behind his back. "We produce a mild hallucinogenic. You'll be fine."

 _Damn it! I knew I forgot something._

"You could have told me that before I drank it!" Jasmine's voice raised an octave.

"Yes, I could have," he said.


	3. Aris Medagna

**Aris Medagna**

Jasmine watched the turian from across the café, the rich aroma of half a dozen alien variants of coffee mingled with the sweet spice of baked goods making her mouth water. She'd spent the last four days bored out of her mind as she tracked his movements until a pattern began to emerge. He came to the same café every morning, ordering the dextro-special of the day, and stayed for approximately one hour and forty-five minutes before heading down to his office in C-Sec. Today, he wouldn't make it to his office. The satisfied smile soured on Jasmine's lips as her old friend paranoia began whispering in her ear, filling her mind with doubts to squirm in the back of her skull. This assignment didn't feel right to her, and she couldn't shake the feeling that it meant the end of her short-lived career.

 _Why the hell else would they be sending me after Citadel cops now? It's going to cause a political shit storm if I'm caught. I guess they figure it's the easiest way to get rid of me. Less paperwork, no severance pay._

 _Christ, Jasmine, just stop. They chose you for a reason, now focus. He's placed his order, there's the server with his meal, time to get into position._

The asari behind the counter sat down a tray. "Number forty-three."

Aris Medagna pushed his chair away from the table, and walked to the counter. Jasmine sat her empty coffee cup down, and left the café. She had an hour and a half to get into position and wait, but already she felt that jittery edge of anticipation welling up inside, making her muscles tense. She wove her way through the crowd, disappearing into a service alcove. Jasmine glanced over her shoulder before opening the door to the maintenance room. A keeper worked silently at a console, oblivious to her presence. She slid around the keeper, careful not to disturb the giant bug remembering how long it took her to wash intestines and slime out of her hair the last time one self-destructed.

 _Never want to go through that again._

Jasmine grabbed a rung on the ladder just past the keeper, and climbed to the catwalks. She stood at the top, letting her eyes adjust to the dim light before following the familiar path to her chosen perch. First drawn to the spot because of the view and the proximity to the elevators, Jasmine settled on it because of her own safety. She could exit the catwalks twenty feet away and be in another maintenance area, separated from the inevitable commotion a sudden death would cause by three walls. Jasmine settled in and prepped her sniper rifle. Running her fingers over the grooves she reveled in the feel of the solid metal and the sense of security it brought with it. She focused the scope on Medagna eating his breakfast, lining up a clean shot, but she wanted to wait until he left the café.

 _No point in ruining everyone else's breakfast._

More than happy to be back on the job after a month of cool down, Jasmine waited patiently for Medagna to leave, ignoring the uncomfortable way the catwalk's grating dug into her ribs. She spent the night Marquis died sitting on her bed in a rented apartment telling herself over and over again that the walls weren't really breathing, and the skycars flying by her window weren't really giant fish swimming in the sea. She'd never forget the smug look on the drell's face when she drank after him; it still set her teeth on edge. He'd never mentioned her to anyone as far as her current liaison could tell, so she supposed she should forgive him a little pettiness. She had called him a gecko, afterall.

A week and a half later she killed an asari scientist who had deliberately released faulty biotic implants to a human colony on Eden Prime. She finished the job without any complications, and her handler surprised her by telling her to stay on the Citadel until further notice.

Jasmine spent her days sitting in the small apartment streaming old Earth sitcoms over the extranet while running through her exercise routine. In the evenings, she walked around the Citadel, and explored the shops out of boredom, doing her best to stave off that old familiar loneliness. She usually ate out, and sometimes stopped to pass her leftovers to one of the homeless kids on the Citadel. She spent hours exploring the catwalks throughout the Citadel and noting every rapid transit stand she came across, knowing it might just be the thing to save her life one day.

Further notice came a month later by means of a new dossier with Medagna's photograph attached. Medagna liked to get a little too rough with the people he arrested. Over the last six years two asari, one turian, and a whopping twelve humans died while in Medagna's custody. Abuse of power made Jasmine's hackles rise, reminding her of all the dirty cops she'd dealt with when she was a helpless kid on the streets. If his victims had been children, she wouldn't be so patient in ending his miserable life. He'd been investigated by C-Sec Internal Affairs after each incident, and each time pardoned of any wrongdoing. His latest victim was the son of retired Alliance Captain Richard Sanders. Finally someone in the Alliance higher ups decided that Medagna had to be stopped.

When Medagna finished, he stood from his table and waved at the asari behind the counter. Jasmine shifted her weight so she could keep him in her sights, soothing herself with deep breaths colored by the familiar scent of gun oil. He left the café and made his way through the crowd toward the elevators. As he neared, she had to adjust her scope to keep him in focus. About fifteen feet from the elevators, Medagna stopped, and turned his head to the left.

Jasmine followed his line of sight through her scope, her curiosity winning over her need to keep her target in her sight. Her jaw dropped when she spotted the drell from before waiting in the shadows. He waved at the turian cop, and Medagna changed course for the assassin's alcove.

"Like hell." Jasmine let out a low growl, feeling like a lioness that just had its prey poached.

She put the turian back in her crosshairs, lined up the shot and pulled the trigger. The bullet ripped through the soft area exposed at the back of the turian's neck, but it didn't kill him. He dropped to the ground, writhing and twitching as blue blood began to seep to the surface, coating his dark skin and plating.

 _Damn it._

Jasmine adjusted her rifle and took a second shot, this one ending the turian's suffering. Swinging her rifle around, she peered through the scope, but the drell had gone. People screamed, and ran in fear down below. Jasmine opened her omni-tool, and took a quick picture of the dead cop before slinging her sniper rifle over her shoulder and fleeing in the opposite direction. Jasmine left the catwalks, her heart racing as she cursed herself. She collapsed the rifle and tucked it away under her jacket, rubbing her sweaty palms on her thighs as she left through a maintenance door. She headed straight for the rapid transit station, and took a cab back to the Bachjret Ward not far from her little apartment.

Jasmine checked to be sure she wasn't followed before entering her apartment complex, but still took a circuitous route to her door. Once inside, she sat down at the table and pushed the empty take out containers aside, with still trembling hands. She'd fucked up, and she knew it. She sat her sniper rifle on the table and took it apart, cleaned it, and put it back together again. The familiar, practiced actions bringing her a sense of order and calm. She locked the rifle away in a case, and slid it back under the bed.

She spent a few minutes staring into the mostly empty refrigeration unit before deciding she'd eat out again. If nothing else it gave her the excuse she was scrambling for to put off contacting her liaison. She needed time to think about this, and she needed to talk to Geoffrey. Jasmine let down her ponytail, and ran a brush through her hair before twisting it into a loose braid. She checked that her pistol and knives were hidden and secure before making her way to _Le Bleu,_ one of the few places on the Citadel that sold food that reminded her of home. Right now she needed home.

Within twenty minutes, a plate of French fries and an iced tea sat in front of Jasmine. They weren't actually French fries, she knew, but some other similarly textured vegetable from God only knew where, but greasy enough that she didn't care. She picked at them as she spoke to Geoffrey on her omni-tool. The last few years had not been kind to him, grayer hair and more obvious creases lined his eyes. Still, his eyes held warmth that made her smile and helped to chase away the last vestiges of anxiety from another botched job.

"I'm just saying you shouldn't tempt fate. You don't know who this guy is, and he sounds dangerous," Geoffrey said.

"Yeah, I get that. But I couldn't let him take another one from me. I'm barely holding on to this job as it is." Jasmine took a sip of her iced tea before shoving another fry in her mouth.

She glanced to the side at a little boy standing with his feet through the metal bars of the short fence marking the restaurant's patio. Dirty, torn clothing hung off him, two sizes too big making Jasmine feel like someone just ripped a bandage off a long forgotten wound. His eyes fixed firmly on Jasmine's French fries.

 _Must be another of Mouse's friends. I feed the kid once and next thing I know I've got them flocking to me like strays. But damn it, look at him. He doesn't even have any shoes. Why do I do this to myself?_

"Jasmine, stop. When will you stop doing this to yourself? You know the Alliance doesn't just choose anyone for your job. They wouldn't have placed you there if you didn't show great potential. They're not going to kick you out over this. The Alliance isn't going to let you go that easy and you know it." Geoffrey shook his head resolutely.

"Maybe. Hey, I got to go. There's a hungry little guy eyeing my food," Jasmine said.

Geoffrey chuckled. "You're soft-hearted, you know that? With all the rough edges, you've got a marshmallow center. Don't let go of that. Take care of yourself, Jasmine."

"Yeah, yeah. You too, Geoffrey. I'll call you tomorrow. Tell everyone I said hello." Jasmine pushed the plate in front of the empty chair next to her, and waved the little boy over.

"Will do." Geoffrey ended the call, and Jasmine closed her omni-tool.

The little boy's face lit up as he climbed over the fence, and made a beeline for the plate of fries. Jasmine pushed the chair out for him, and he climbed up next to her, stuffing his face without saying a word. She rubbed at the ache in her chest as she waved the waiter over.

 _I remember being that hungry. Poor kid. I wonder when's the last time he ate._

"I'm so sorry, ma'am. I'll get him out of here right away. We'll replace—," the waiter said.

 _Asshole. Can't you see the kid's starving? I mean damn, what is he? Six? Seven?_

"Uh, actually he's my date. So, why don't you bring my friend here a Tupari, and me another plate of fries? Oh, and a slice of that pie you have on display in there for both of us." Jasmine raised her eyebrow at the slack-jawed man, daring him to argue.

"Oh, of course. My apologies. Right away, ma'am." The waiter disappeared back into the restaurant.

"What's your name, kid?" Jasmine rested her chin on her palm.

He shoved another fry into his mouth. "Rift. Your name's Jasmine?"

"It is. You have a place to sleep tonight, Rift?" Jasmine asked.

 _Please tell me you have somewhere to sleep, because I really can't take you home with me, but I know that if you say you don't, I will._

He nodded his head. "Do you really work for the Alliance? When I grow up, I want to join the Alliance."

"Uhhh, yeah." Jasmine glanced around, unease pressing down on her shoulders knowing that if the kid had heard her, anyone else around might have as well. "What do you want to do in the Alliance?"

"I want to fly the ships. Are you a pilot?" Rift stuffed more fries in his mouth.

 _Inquisitive little guy, aren't you?_

Jasmine smiled, relieved that no one seemed to be watching her. "No, I don't get to fly the ships."

"Oh." Rift chewed thoughtfully. "What do you do, then?"

"It's a secret." Jasmine winked at the boy, earning her a toothy grin.

The waiter returned, and sat another plate of fries down in front of Jasmine, along with the two pieces of pie, and a bottle of blue Tupari sports drink in front of Rift. Jasmine returned the waiter's smile to show she held no hard feelings, and he hurried away before she changed her mind.

"Oh." He opened the bottle and took long pulls from the sugary liquid before putting the cap back on. "Was that guy your dad?"

It took Jasmine a moment to realize that he meant Geoffrey, and shook her head regretfully. "No, he's a nice guy who helped me when I was down on my luck. Make sure you keep that bottle when you're finished, you can fill it with water from the bathrooms."

Rift nodded his head. "What's a marshmallow?"

"You don't know what a marshmallow is?! Oh, kid, you're missing out. A marshmallow is this … uh, hmmm, I guess it's like this squishy, sweet treat that melts in your mouth. They're pretty popular on Earth." Jasmine pulled up an image on her omni-tool to show Rift.

"I guess they don't look very impressive, but they taste amazing." She pursed her lips and shrugged at the dubious look the kid gave her.

"Are you from Earth? I've never been there," Rift said.

"Uh, yeah, I grew up there. How're your fries?" Jasmine asked.

 _For Christ's sake, Jasmine. You're trained to hold up under torture and interrogation but you're just telling this kid everything?_

"They're the best thing I've had all week." His cheeks reddened. "Um, thank you."

"Sure, no problem, kid. What do you say after you finish your pie I take you to go get some new shoes?" Jasmine fought to keep her tone neutral, knowing that if she over did it or let one 'poor kid' slip his pride would send him packing, even with as young as he was.

* * *

Thane had waited until the Phantom parted ways with Rift before catching up with the boy. She had surprised him again, by not only sharing her food with the child but purchasing him new clothing and shoes. The tenderness she showed the child served as a painful reminder of his own failings in life. Because of him, his wife was now dead, and he would likely never see his son again. He reminded himself that it was better for Kolyat, safer for him to live with his aunts and uncles and then pushed the child from his mind before the memories could consume him.

She had waited for him outside of the restroom, when he returned to her side, Thane barely recognized Rift. He had washed himself before putting on his new clothes. Rift seemed very pleased, but the Phantom looked at him with unmistakable sadness in her eyes, even as she smiled back at him. She crouched in front of Rift and brushed his hair out of his face, her eyes told Thane that whatever she said to him carried significant weight for her. Rift wrapped his arms around her neck, and she returned his embrace.

Mouse had hugged him once, grateful for the trinkets and attention Thane gave him. Attention Thane couldn't even bring himself to give to his own son. His body had grown rigid at the boys touch, his arms refusing to return the child's embrace. Mouse had never hugged him again. He watched the Phantom wipe at her eyes as she walked away, surprised by the momentary flicker of envy that passed through his battle sleep where only pain had been able to penetrate before, and then, only because he welcomed it, his own form of penance.

Rift seemed reluctant to inform on his new friend, but Thane easily persuaded him with more credits. Thane listened as the boy excitedly told him about how nice the woman named Jasmine had been, and provided the details of what he'd learned. Several times Rift veered off topic talking about something called marshmallows and questioning how people can be made of candy. The nonsensical questions confused Thane, and he had to use gentle reminders, asking very specific questions to get the boy back on track. He didn't mind, he was a patient man well trained in his craft. He was amazed by Jasmine's naiveté; she had even told the boy where she lived while on the Citadel.

Thane now stood in her apartment. The sounds of water falling mixed with Jasmine's singing filled the small studio. _Her voice is not displeasing_. He closed his eyes and let the sound wash over him, stirring up memories of Irikah singing to their son, allowing himself a brief moment to be punished by the reminder of the pain his arrogance had caused his family. Thane took a deep, cleansing breath and let the memories go before they became too intense to hold at bay.

He stood with his hands behind his back, letting his eyes roam over the sparsely furnished, undecorated room. He had stayed in these same apartments on occasion, renting one of the furnished rooms when too exhausted to continue his hunt. He would stay for a week, no more than two, while he gathered information on the cowards who killed his wife in retribution for lives he had ended on contract. One of only a few safe places to rent on the Citadel for someone in his profession, the apartments were designed for those on business, and not for permanent residence. With revolving tenants, there was little need to worry about neighbors becoming interested in who he was or what he did for a living. He imagined Jasmine had been drawn there for the same reasons.

Food containers spilling out of the trash receptacle and dirty clothes tossed into a corner seemed to be the only personal touches Jasmine had added, which was more than he ever had. Stale odors assaulted his nose, and the general disarray that surrounded him made his fingers twitch, wanting to set things right. Thane liked order, cleanliness, and efficiency. It was one of the reasons he prefered to use his hands to take lives, to control the situation and minimize chaos like Jasmine had caused spilling blood openly in the middle of the Citadel. Granted that was not always a viable option. He had spilled more blood than most would ever dare to think about, he'd caused chaos and left crowds to flee in panic using them to slip away unnoticed.

Thane crossed the floor and slid open the top dresser drawer. Shoving aside unkempt clothing, he felt for anything that might be hidden inside. Finding nothing of interest, he moved on to the next. He stopped when his fingers brushed the edges of something paper, carefully pulling it free from the tangled mass of clothing.

Thane swallowed against the thick knot forming in his throat when he saw that it was a child's drawing folded in half. Memories filled his mind of Kolyat, hunched over the kitchen table with scraps of paper, and drafting pencils Thane had brought home from his construction job, drawing the oceans of Kahje and the hanar moving through the water. Perhaps if he had stayed in construction instead of returning to work as a freelance assassin, his wife would still be alive and his son wouldn't hate him. Thane acknowledged the pain, savoring it like a lovers kiss for a moment, and then simply let it go allowing the void to swallow him once more.

He smoothed out the paper, and held it tilted toward the lamp. Six stick-figure humans decorated the page, labeled in the uncoordinated script of a child as, " _Mommy, Daddy, Jessica, Angela, Me, and You."_ In the background skycars flew by a city skyline, and two small, furry creatures chased each other in the grass. He turned the paper in his hand and saw nice, crisp lettering on the back, " _To Jasmine Shepard from Samantha Williams. Age 5. 2172."_ Thane slipped the piece of art back into the drawer, pulling clothes over it until it was well hidden. Some small part of him wished he could forget ever having seen it himself.

 _She shouldn't keep this. In the wrong hands, it makes them targets. I grew complacent and Irikah paid the price._

When he found nothing of interest in the other two drawers he moved on to the night stand. Noting the bottle of sleeping pills, he wondered if perhaps she was already haunted by the memories of someone she'd lost. In the quiet of night his ghost troubled him the most. A pistol and an assortment of knives were tucked away in the drawer. Kneeling on the floor, he lifted the edge of the blanket and slid a gun case from beneath the bed, popping the latches. He looked over the sniper rifle, taking in the fresh smell of gun oil before closing the case and putting it back where he found it.

 _She can't be bothered to take out her trash, but takes immaculate care of her rifle?_

Thane moved to the kitchen area. Her refrigerator housed only half a bottle of rum and more take out containers. The cabinets had little else to reveal. The sounds of the shower stopped, Jasmine's singing becoming more distinct. Thane pulled out a chair, and sat facing the bathroom door. A few moments later the door opened, and steam billowed out carrying with it the refreshing, tart scent of citrus.

Jasmine faced away from him, looking at what he assumed to be a mirror. His brow twitched when he saw that she wore nothing but a tank top and undergarment leaving little to the imagination. He averted his gaze, instead focusing on the movements of her hands as she brushed through her damp hair. Troubled by her lack of observation he gently cleared his throat. She turned her head, her hand freezing with the brush an inch from her head. Her eyes locked on to his.

 _Hello, Jasmine Shepard._

Jasmine glanced at something on the counter outside of Thane's line of sight. Her lips pinched tight as she resumed brushing her hair. Thane didn't speak, and neither did she. He waited her out until she finished with the brush, and sat it down on the counter. Shifting forward, he rested his palms on his knees as she stepped into the threshold, leaning against the doorframe. Her hand stayed hidden and he had no doubts that she had picked up a weapon of one sort or another.

 _More knives, perhaps? Or is it another gun?_

"Breaking and entering is a crime," Jasmine said.

 _So is killing a C-Sec officer in the middle of the Citadel._

"Indeed," Thane said.

"What do you want?" she asked.

"You succeeded in taking a contract from me," Thane said.

"No, you failed at taking another job from me," Jasmine said. "What, do you expect me to pay you?"

Thane's lips twitched in amusement. "I do not require payment."

 _She's fierce of spirit. That's … admirable._

"Well, unless you just stopped by to stare at me in my underwear, would you mind telling me why it is you're in my apartment?" Jasmine asked.

In all his years as an assassin, he'd grown used to seeing people in various states of undress. Having broken the neck of a man with his pants around his ankles while finding his release inside of a prostitute in a dirty ally did little to make someone in Thane's profession flinch at the sight of exposed flesh. He was, however, more used to people attempting to cover themselves when they realized they were not alone.

"I did not. You are welcome to put down your weapon and dress yourself. Though, I do ask that you stay away from the nightstand and bed." Thane waved his hand at the room.

"You went through my things?" Jasmine's gaze never wavered, but the quick flash of a clenched jaw and the subtle tightening of her muscles, preparing to propel her toward the dresser, told Thane where her mind was.

 _I—they're safe from me._

Thane didn't bother to answer. Jasmine licked her lips, her gaze running over the room. He knew what she was doing, checking obstacles, noting her escape routes, all the things that he did himself the moment he walked into another room. With the perfect memory of a drell, he needed to do it only once though the process had become second nature.

"I haven't come to harm you but to encourage you to leave the Citadel. Your activities here are drawing notice, making it more difficult for me to maintain my professional reputation." Thane kept his tone light, hoping to not startle her into action they'd both regret.

"You mean, 'leave or else.' That it?" Jasmine narrowed her eyes at Thane.

"Not at all. I ask out of professional courtesy," Thane said.

"I don't get to make that call. You're a freelancer, if it's getting too _difficult_ for you here, why don't you leave?" Jasmine asked.

 _Don't be foolish, your stubbornness will cost you more than you want to pay in this profession._

"I will, eventually, when a contract requires me to do so," Thane said.

"What does it matter anyway? Just tell whoever hired you that you shot Officer Medagna," Jasmine said.

Thane chuckled, the idea more than ludicrous to him. "As I said, I have a professional reputation to uphold. Your work is—."

"Yeah, yeah, loud and sloppy. I remember." Jasmine's brows furrowed. "I've only been fucking up because you're there getting in my way. You're ruining _my_ professional reputation."

Thane stood, having said all he intended and Jasmine took a half step back. If she insisted on drawing attention to herself, and by proxy him, it would end in her death not his. He would not be there to pull her out of harm's way again. He tucked his hands behind his back and strolled to the door, turning to face Jasmine as he activated the door's release.

"I think we both know that's not true. Do us both a favor and request a transfer, Ms. Shepard." Thane stepped into the hall, the door sliding closed behind him.

* * *

 _Shit. Shit. Shit. Oh man, I am so screwed._

"Do us both a favor and request a transfer, Ms. Shepard." Jasmine scrunched her nose as she mocked the drell's tone.

 _Who the hell does he think he is?_

She kept the pistol in her hand as she crossed the room to lock the door, her heart thumping in her chest.

 _Not that it's going to keep him out if he comes back. Damn it, I'm going to have to move. Rift! Gods, did he get to Rift? No, no, he wouldn't hurt the kid. Not just to find out where I live. Shit, I've got to stop being so damn soft with these kids. It probably wasn't even Rift. He probably just followed me again._

Jasmine grabbed her robe off of the hook in the bathroom, and slipped it on, fumbling with the belt as she tied it around her waist before pacing the thin strip of floor in front of her bed. She didn't know what made her angrier, the intrusion into her privacy, or the audacity of the man to think that he could tell her to leave.

She stopped in front of her dresser, and opened the second drawer. Pulling out the drawing Samantha gave her before she left to join the Alliance, she turned it over in her hands. Running her fingers over Geoffrey's handwriting, a habit that brought her no comfort, but instead a sinking sense of dread settled into her stomach. It clawed at her insides, urging her to panic, to pack her things and flee. Jasmine clenched her jaw, her teeth grinding as she struggled to maintain her composure.

She looked over the picture, examining it for what clues it might have given him about the Williams family. Seeing the girls' names on display unnerved her far more than seeing her own. It was no small concession that Geoffrey and Karin remained unnamed, they were far easier to track than the children. Still, her gut told her that the drell wouldn't mess with the Williams family; it just didn't seem to be his style. She prayed to God that she was right as she tucked the picture away.

 _Maybe I should request a transfer. For their sake. Just in case._

Jasmine folded her arms on the dresser and rested her head on them, taking in slow deep breaths.

 _God, I can't believe I'm letting some … some bully chase me away. I never run. No, you know what? I'm not going anywhere. I'm not giving up this apartment and I'm sure as hell not leaving the Citadel if I can help it!_

Jasmine sat down on her bed, and opened her omni-tool. She tapped the message icon and entered the contact information for her liaison from memory, calm washing over her with her resolve. She had been trained to erase every message sent or received from anyone associated with the Phantoms or the Alliance immediately, and since they changed her liaisons regularly, Jasmine had memorized a significant number of extranet addresses over the years.

The only thing consistent about the Phantoms was the assassin's handler. Assigned to a handler at recruitment, they took responsibility for the Phantom's training, and handled any situations that arose in the field. There was a time Jasmine thought Leon, her handler, the love of her life. Now his name left a bitter taste in her mouth. Nothing with Leon went as planned, still he remained her handler, and if she told a liaison that she needed her handler, he would be there.

Jasmine typed in her message, " _Phantom ACH35 requests permission from handler to extend stay at current location until required elsewhere. Intent to make use of network and facilities to continue training, welcomes any assignments for this area."_

With the message sent, Jasmine opened her camera app and erased Medagna's picture. Protocol dictated that it be done immediately after sending her report to her liaison, but Jasmine sometimes had trouble letting go of the reminders of her failure. She needed to see them, she needed to be reminded of what she'd done wrong so she wouldn't do it again. It was the same reason she made herself stop and take a long, hard look whenever she ran across someone strung out on their drug of choice. She wanted to see the wreckage; wanted the reminder that she had once done the same thing to herself. Her fingers hovered over the image of Dr. Easley but Jasmine couldn't bring herself to let go of that one yet. She pursed her lips and closed the app, leaving the image to torment herself with later.

Jasmine paced the floor, wiggling her toes though the lush carpet as she waited for a response. She stopped in the bathroom to stare at her reflection, absently running the brush through her hair again. Jasmine returned to the main room and dug through her dresser, pulling out a pair of jeans. Restless, she tossed them to the bed instead of putting them on and paced some more as her thoughts returned to Rift. What if she was wrong? He could be in danger. She couldn't handle that: kids weren't acceptable collateral damage. She knew going after Rift could draw more attention to herself, but she had to check on him. When her omni-tool finally pinged a half-hour later, she stopped in her tracks and opened the message.

" _Permission granted. Handler inquiry: Do you require assistance?"_

Jasmine grinned and typed out her response. " _Negative. I've got this."_


	4. Dr Judith Belfast

**Dr. Judith Belfast**

Four days passed, and still Jasmine could find no trace of Rift. She chewed her nails down, ragged to the quick as she searched. She stopped every duct rat she came across, a panicked desperation settling in like a rock in the pit of her stomach as they all gave her evasive answers. They didn't know him, or just didn't know where to find him. Jasmine contemplated trying to bribe the kids, or earning over their trust. She couldn't though, not with the brutal fact that she may have already put Rift in harm's way hanging over her head like a guillotine ready to drop. Bringing more of the wayward children into her life would only put them at risk as well. She wouldn't even risk leaving him a message until she knew he was safe.

Fighting the gnawing sense of failure as it tried to claim her, Jasmine returned to her apartment and retrieved her sniper rifle. Collapsing the rifle, she tucked it away under her jacket and secured her pistol under her shirt at her waist. She needed to get her mind off of Rift before her imagination had him dead in an alley, his insides ripped out and hanging from the rafters. She opened her omni-tool to double check her temporary identification. Being a Phantom, only unofficially associated with the Alliance, she couldn't make use of their facilities without the temporary ID Leon set up for her.

Besides, Leon would be tracking the use of the ID. It'd been four days since approval for her request came in, and he gave her everything she needed, setting her up under the alias Ramona Salazar. If she didn't put Ramona's name to use soon, Leon would show up at the Citadel demanding to know why. She didn't want Leon there. Not wanting her handler to see her playing loose with the rules.

* * *

Thane sat in the middle of the floor, measuring his breathing as he rolled onto all fours. The bare metal floor, warm and smooth, beneath his palms supported his weight as he pushed his feet out behind him. Spreading his legs shoulder width apart, he rested a hand on the small of his back. He took his time, lowering his chest to hover a centimeter above the floor before pushing himself back up just as slow. Savoring the burn in his muscles, already brought near to the point of quivering beneath his weight an hour into his routine, he pushed up once more. He repeated the movement ten times before switching arms.

By the third repetition, his training overrode the pain, against his will. He fought to hold on to it, but he needed something more. He finished his routine and returned to a sitting position, feeling his throat expand, pulling in extra air to cool the blood circulating through his system. Thane ran a hand over the expanse of his bare chest, noting not for the first time the dull ache deep in his lungs. He took solace in what that ache might mean; a slow and painful death awaited him, but refused himself the chance to get confirmation from a doctor. They would want him to seek treatment. Doctors would insist on blood transfusions and organ transplants to prolong his life. They'd hook him to machines and pump him full of drugs to dull the pain.

Thane rested his palms on his knees, the fabric of the straw colored harem pants damp with sweat and venom. He took a deep breath and dove into the memories, the only thing left to him that could reach into that stillness and rattle something loose—give him something to feel.

 _Sunlight paints closed eyelids red. Clinging to the last few moments of stillness. Of being next to her. Her breathing quickens. She is awake. The bed shifts. Fragrant spice wafts over me. I smile. "Pretending to be asleep, my love?" Her hand settles on my chest. Breath warm against my neck. I press my hand to hers. Open my eyes. Sun filters through the shades, dancing across her body. Greens. Blues. Reds. Vibrant and rich. Her warmth seeps into me, heating my scales. My Irikah. My beautiful Irikah.  
I touch her face. Fingertips trailing across her scales. It reminds me she is real. What did I ever do to deserve her love? She smiles as my thumb brushes her cheek. She moves, pushing up on her forearm. Leans over me. Shadows spill across my face. Light a halo around her. Full lips brush mine, whisper soft. I catch her. My palm cradling her head, pulling her back to me. Shock gives way to joy in sunset colored eyes._

 _She laughs. The chimes of the goddess Arashu ring through her lips. My heart races. Thumping against my ribs. Pulse pounding in my throat. Her eyes turn back to me. "I love you." My thumb brushes her lips. I am transfixed by the supple skin. Tugging, following my touch. "And I you." Her smile shifts. Predatory. Brilliant white teeth flash. Swift, yet gentle. They press into my thumb. Hunger fills her eyes. Breath catches in my throat. Desire, strong and urgent. She is beautiful, and I want her.  
_ Thane's chin drops, nearly touching his chest before he takes a shuddering breath and presses himself onward, determined to feel his misery to the fullest. _  
Rain falls in blinding sheets. Pounds on the roof, washes over the glass. The funeral procession waits on the shore. Bowed heads, vague figures through the water's distortion. They can wait. Death always waits. I need to see where it happened first. I tell myself it's irrational. Won't change anything. Can't bring her back. No one comes back from the dead._

 _The door's locked. A blue ribbon of light forbids entry. Indecently bright. Active crime scene. I hack through the security, the door opens. Droplets of rain cling to my clothes. My face. I brush them off. Scrape the mud off on the mat. She hated mud tracked inside. Little light passes through the curtains. Thin rays of bleakness doing nothing to illuminate the dark stains on the walls. The floor. Blood, old and dried. Still, I think I can smell it. Metallic and sharp. Biting at the back of my throat. The furniture shattered glass and broken wood. Twisted bits of metal. Pictures of her and Kolyat litter the floor. None of me. Never any of me.  
A scream fills my throat and is swallowed. She lies there in a puddle of blood. Imagination filling in missing pieces. The details of her last moments. Her last breath whispering across trembling lips. My Irikah's lips. Soft and sweet. Tasting of kala fruit. I shake my head. A sharp breath burns my nose. I open my eyes, forcing myself to look at the broken home. Once a hallowed place now defiled forever. Shattered dreams. Twitching fingers clench into fists. I want to rage. Scream and break things. Anything that dared to remain unbroken while she lay here dying. My arms ache with the force it takes to restrain myself._

 _So much blood. Thick splashes trailing from wall to floor. Soaked into the couch. The carpet. Outlining where she fell. She died laying on her side. Just as she always slept. They say the dead often look like they're sleeping. My lip lifts in a sneer. Disgusted with my own idle thoughts.  
Tears burn like acid, stinging my eyes. I savor the pain. Refuse to blink. To let them fall. Something catches my eye. A smear in the blood. Low to the floor. I crouch in front of it. A handprint. Her handprint. Dragged through her own blood. The tears come now. Sliding down my face wet and hot. Curving over my cheek to rest on my lips. I lick them away, unthinking. Salt on my tongue. My body is heavy. I collapse to my knees. Shoulders sagging. Pain lances through my chest. I press my face to the wall. Smooth and cold against my skin. "I—I'm sorry, Irikah." The words catch in my throat._

He clenched his jaw, breathing deeply through his nose. His fingers fisted around the fabric beneath them as his body trembled.

 _I don't know how much time has passed. It's darker now. Shadows surround me. The tears have run dry. I don't move. There is no point. There is movement outside the door. Have they come to kill me, now? I consider staying there. Allowing myself to be slain. It's what I deserve. Will she welcome me across the sea?_ _  
The door starts to open. I rise to my feet. Ready to face my fate. It's only Rone. The pity in his eyes makes me cringe. Eyes so unlike her's. Reserved. Lacking the warmth hers held. The resemblance is there. The curve of his cheek. The dip of his lips. I never noticed before. Noticing now sends fresh pangs of guilt through me.  
_ " _We have been waiting for you, Thane." He clears his throat and looks away. "Kolyat … Kolyat needs to say goodbye to his mother." Fury sweeps through me. Hot and demanding. I clench my fists. Who is he to tell me what my son needs? Does he know I could end his life with a flick of my wrist? Of course not. I lower my eyes. He is right. Kolyat needs to put his mother to rest. It's not him that I'm angry with. He's a good man. He'll be a better father to my son than I ever was. I remind myself that even as I lost my wife, Rone lost his sister. "Of course," I say, my voice cracking. My throat raw._

 _I move to leave. His hand darts out, stopping me. "You have—You have blood on your face," he says. I'm confused. I have no injuries. I touch my face. Fingertips come away dark and sticky. I glance at the wall. The handprint no longer discernable. Washed away by my tears. Smeared by my face. With Amonkira's blessing, I will not rest until those responsible are dead._

 _I push past Rone and out the door. "Thane, your face." I turn my face to the torrent. "Let the rain take care of it."_

Thane curled forward, pressing his forehead to the floor. The agony ripped through him with claws sharper than any beast. Finally, he was left with no choice but to succumb.

 _Finally._

* * *

His omni-tool pinged, and he glanced at the flashing light only briefly before returning his gaze to the Presidium stretched out before him. Thane didn't go to the Presidium often, he prefered the wards where wary people kept their eyes to themselves, hoping to avoid conflict. His eyes roamed the pond and expansive gardens, pausing to take in a sculpture of a relay. The Presidium was certainly more aesthetically pleasing than the wards. He breathed deeply, taking in the almost sterile scent of the upper class. Lingering traces of a woman's perfume mixed with the clean scent of freshly pressed clothing.

Restlessness set in. Twelve days since Medagna's unfortunate end at Jasmine's rushed execution, and no one reached out to him for work since. He knew that twelve days was inconsequential. Longer stretches occurred between jobs many times before, but never had he been forced to return to an employer empty handed. It still left a bitter taste in his mouth to admit to his employer that someone else beat him to the target.

Perhaps his unease came from knowing that despite his best efforts to peacefully convince Jasmine to leave, the obstinate woman remained on the Citadel. There were other assassins in play on the Citadel. He knew a few of them personally, but none of them ever insisted on putting themselves in his way. Then again, none of them were ever sent after the same target as he, either.

He considered leaving the Citadel. He could find work anywhere in the galaxy. He needn't waste his time and further risk his professional reputation on the chance that the clumsy human might interfere with another contract. The Citadel was a big place, though, and they were unlikely to cross paths again unless he sought her out. He would stay, he decided, at least long enough to make it clear to prospective employers that he remained the best at what he did. Thane refused to acknowledge the voice that whispered in the back of his mind, telling him that he didn't want to leave because Jasmine would think it meant she'd won.

He turned, stepping back into the shadows and opened his omni-tool. A message from Mouse telling him that Jasmine asked about Rift again. " _I think she's worried about him,"_ the last line read. Thane paid Rift extra to avoid contact with Jasmine until she left the Citadel, when he still thought he could convince her to leave. How wrong he had been.

He knew eventually the child would seek her out if she continued to stay. He read the last line once more. Something akin to diluted regret pulled at the corners of his mind. Perhaps he should tell Rift to go to her, ease her mind. He pushed the thought away.

 _No, it's best to avoid her completely. The less I interfere, the less of her I'll see._

About to close his omni-tool, he paused when another message popped up. This one from a repeat employer inquiring if his services were still available. Thane felt the restlessness slip away as he responded in the affirmative.

* * *

Jasmine's eyes flew open, her heart thudding against her ribcage, her hand already reaching for her pistol. Memories of being in an abandoned apartment complex, alone in the middle of the night while drunkards stumbled around outside looking for a way in pushed against her mind. She stilled herself, forcing her breathing to slow as she strained to listen for the sound that woke her. There it was again, a quiet knock on her door.

She slid the covers away and sat up, picking her pistol up from the nightstand as she stood. She grabbed her robe off of the chair on her way to the door, toppling the chair as the robe caught on the back. She threw her hand out, catching it before it clattered across the floor. Moving her pistol between hands, she slipped the robe on and knotted the belt. Three weeks of training day in and day out, and her muscles still protested with every movement.

Jasmine activated the vid screen for the security camera she installed outside her door. The screen showed nothing. Jasmine's hackles raised, and she adjusted her grip on her pistol. She caught a hint of movement at the very bottom of the screen and held her breath, clinging to the hope that bubbled up inside of her. She hit a button, and the camera panned down.

 _Rift! Oh, thank God._

She hit the door's control release, peering down both ends of the hall before stepping back and motioning the boy inside. He stayed in the hall staring at her, his mouth agape; eyes wide and red. She frowned, confused by his expression, making her feel like she just kicked his puppy or something. Jasmine realized she still had her pistol in her grip and snorted. She put the safety back on before dropping it into the pocket of her robe.

"It's alright, it's gone now. See?" Jasmine held her hand out, inviting him in again. "I've been looking all over for you, kid."

Rift hesitated a moment longer, fresh tears welling up in his eyes explaining the redness. Jasmine looked around the hall again before crouching down in front of him, ignoring the burning rage of her quadriceps. She steadied herself with fingertips pressed to the doorframe, fighting off the vertigo brought on by her sleeping pills. She should definitely not be awake yet.

"Rift? Hey, what's wrong? Is someone after you? Are you hurt? What happened?" Jasmine didn't care that she didn't give him time to answer one question before asking another. She only cared that he was alive, and in front of her.

Rift flung himself on Jasmine, nearly knocking her backwards. His breath rushed out of him in a ragged sob as he buried his face in her neck. Jasmine's body stiffened at the sudden unexpected contact, her breath catching in her throat. She recovered quickly, wrapping her arms around his back and cooing softly in his ear.

 _Jesus, what happened kid?_

A couple of minutes later, she had him calmed enough to let her stand. Her thighs and calves screamed at her in protest as she rose to her feet, pulling him in clear of the door so it could close behind him. She led him to the little table and cleared a spot for him to sit down before getting him a glass of water. Jasmine checked to make sure that she locked the door before sitting down across from him, tucking her robe in around her so she didn't traumatize the kid any further.

Rift sipped at the water in between sniffles, wiping his nose on his sleeve until Jasmine fetched him a tissue out of the bathroom. She studied him intently, her eyes searching for any hint of bruising or lacerations. All she found was dirt and grime. Although they were in desperate need of a washing, it filled Jasmine with pride to see that he still wore the outfit she bought him nearly a month ago. She gave him a moment longer to collect himself, but after a time she realized she needed to be the one to speak first.

"Rift? What happened?" Jasmine leaned forward, folding her arms on the table.

"I told him." His whisper was so soft she wasn't completely sure she'd heard him at all.

"You told who what?" Her heart sank as the answer came readily to her mind.

"Sere Krios. I told him all about you." Rift kept his eyes on the glass of water sitting in front of him as he spoke. "I didn't know, Jasmine! I didn't know when he asked me to talk to you that he was gonna make you leave! I didn't know, I promise."

Jasmine took a steadying breath, excitement rushing through her veins better than a hit of red sand. "The as—The drell? That's his name? Sere?"

Rift shook his head, wiping his nose on the tissue. "No, I think it means something like 'mister'. I don't know what his first name is, he never told me. But his last name is Krios."

Jasmine licked her lips, contemplating the delicate situation. She needed to reassure Rift, but she also needed as much information about Krios as she could get. "And he asked you to talk to me?"

Rift nodded. She waited for him to say more, but he only sipped his water.

"Does he ask you to talk to a lot of people?" Jasmine pressed, keeping her voice low and soothing.

"Only sometimes. Sometimes he asks me to do other things, like take something somewhere. Or asks if I know someone. Twice he paid me to follow someone, but I had to be real careful not to be seen." Rift risked a glance at Jasmine, and she smiled.

 _He pays him. Sonofabitch. He's using street kids to do his legwork. I—I can't even be mad … that's actually incredibly smart. Risky, but smart. I would have killed for a gig like that back on Earth. Shit, what am I saying? This crap could get Rift killed. He's just a kid._

"What uh, what did he want to know about me?" Jasmine asked.

His shoulders sagged, and he looked back down at his water. "Whatever I could find out. I told him your name, and that you worked for the Alliance doing secret stuff." He let out another unexpected sob. "I even told him where you live. I'm sorry, Jasmine. I didn't know. I don't want you to leave."

 _Alliance. From Earth. Geoffrey's name. What else? What else? That's it, isn't it?_

"Hey, hey, hey. It's OK. I'm not leaving, not anytime soon." Jasmine reached across the table, putting a hand on his forearm, and giving it a little squeeze.

"You're not? But Sere Krios said he asked you to go. He said you'd be leaving soon, and he asked me not to talk to you again while you were here." The words spilled out of him, slurring together in his excitement, but Jasmine kept up. "He paid me extra, and I tried really hard, but then Mouse said you were asking 'bout me, and I … I'm gonna give him his money back. I spent it all already, but I can get more, and I'm gonna give it all back because I don't want you to leave." Rift's voice shook, on the verge of breaking down again.

"Rift, are you scared of Sere Krios? He's never hurt you or threatened you has he?" Jasmine still didn't want to think that the assassin would hurt a child, but she had to ask. She needed to know, because she'd kill him herself if Rift said Krios hurt him.

 _Or die trying._

Rift shook his head adamantly. "No, Sere Krios is very nice to me."

Jasmine let out a relieved sigh, sitting back in her chair. "Keep your money, Rift. You earned it. If Sere Krios doesn't like it, tell him to come talk to me." She thought about it for a moment, mulling the idea over. "I'd like to talk to him. Do you know where he's at?"

He shook his head again and shrugged his shoulders. "He always finds me when he needs something. Mouse might know, or Talak, or Mila."

 _Christ, how many kids is he using like this? At least Mouse is old enough to look after himself._

Jasmine opened her omni-tool to check the time, wincing when it showed her zero three thirty-one hours. "It's late, Rift. Do you need to crash here?"

"Mouse has us a place. If he wakes up and I'm gone, he's gonna worry." Rift slid down from the chair. "So, you're not mad at me?"

Jasmine smiled and shook her head. "I'm not mad at you." She got up, following him to the door.

Rift threw his arms around her waist, and she ruffled his oily hair before sending him out the door and locking it behind him. She bounced on the balls of her feet as a giddy smile broke through her calm façade. A name—half a name, but still a name. It was a start. Jasmine knew that she could have pressed Rift for more information, but she didn't want to risk breaking the boy's fragile trust. She had time, and Rift would come to see her again. She'd bet her life on it.

She sat her pistol back on her nightstand. Jasmine washed the residue left by Rift's hair from her hands at the kitchen sink before stripping off her robe and climbing back into bed. A dirty house didn't bother her in the slightest, but she couldn't stand feeling dirty herself. It reminded her of her time on the streets, having to go weeks and even months at a time with nothing but a sponge bath in a public restroom. Strangers coming in while she was half-undressed and looking down their noses at her. She pulled her covers up, tucking them beneath her arms and closed her eyes. No, as long as she had the choice, she would be clean. A moment later she flipped to her side and shoved an arm under her pillow. Before long, she rolled to the other side and let out a frustrated sigh.

"Damn it." Jasmine sat up and opened her omni-tool, squinting her eyes against the sudden glare she opened a search engine, typing in, " _Drell assassin Crios."_

* * *

Jasmine rubbed her dry, burning eyes with her knuckles and reached for her coffee. After an hour of searching and finding nothing, she switched to her laptop and changed the spelling of the name to 'Krios'. Finally she struck gold, not exactly the gold she went looking for, but it was something. Maybe closer to pyrite, but there must be a few nuggets of the real stuff buried in there somewhere.

 _Either way, it's all I've got._

She tried not to think too hard on the fact that she was seriously digging through a cheeky conspiracy website called ' _Assassins Unveiled'_ at zero six hundred hours, after only four hours of sleep. Grainy images, obviously dubbed vids, and a forum filled with everything from the 'laughably bizarre' to the 'this is a little too close to the truth for comfort'.

She squinted her eyes at a grainy, out of focus image. It definitely looked like a drell, but with the wrong build and coloration. She kept scrolling until she saw a thread titled ' _The One-Hour Massacre on Omega'_. She quirked an eyebrow and opened the thread, rubbing her eyes again.

 _It's him. Christ, it's really him._

She recognized the image embedded in the thread. The terrible quality and unflattering angle made it questionable, but she felt certain it was the same asshole who stole her job and broke into her house.

" _Five batarians tortured and killed within the span of an hour on Omega. Two were found dead at the first location, their eyes gouged out, limbs broken, and several non-fatal wounds to their torsos and faces. A third batarian found in a similar condition as the first two a district away. The fourth found dragged inside a ventilation shaft, his fingers and legs broken along with his neck. The final victim found by following a blood trail to his residence, identified as Forlan Dal'hes, a known leader in the slave trade. Dal'hes was found with identical wounds, the accumulation of those given to the other batarians."_

" _This image taken during the One-Hour Massacre, and he is believed to be the person responsible for these deaths. I believe that it is the same assassin that has sparked so much interest in the past. The mysterious drell who seems to go out of his way to avoid civilian casualties, going so far as to knock them out and drag them away from the scene of his future execution."_

Jasmine swallowed hard, scrolling down to read the comments. It didn't sound like his work to her. He was controlled and methodical. This just sounded horrific.

" _No way, can't be the same guy. His work is always neat, clean. He rarely leaves blood behind. This thing—*shakes head*—this thing's a mess. A vendetta. Not the work of a badass assassin. This was something personal. Suppose it could've been a merc or a hitman paid to send a message."_

" _I heard he left Dal'hes' heart pinned to the wall with a dagger made of obsidian."_

" _You're an idiot, obsidian is brittle as fuck. That shit would shatter all over the place, no way would it stick in a wall."_

" _I thought they were turians, not batarians?"_

" _The real question you should all be asking is who IS this assassin, and WHO hired him to kill these people."_

" _His name is Thane Krios."_

" _He's a drell right? The drell all work for the hanar or something, so obviously the hanar are the one's we should be looking at."_

Jasmine stopped and scrolled back up, blinking her weary eyes. "His name is Thane Krios." She lifted her mug to her lips, frowning when she found it empty. "It can't be that simple."

She clicked on the link for the username ' _I'llNeverTell360'_ and opened a private message. " _Why do you think his name is Thane Krios?"_

A warning popped up on her screen. " _You must be logged in to send a private message. Would you like to login now or create a user account?"_

"Damn it." Jasmine bit her lip, groaning.

She finished the incredibly detailed registration process making up the requested information as she went, including creating a new extranet address. Frustrated at the waste of time, she chose the name ' _TellMeNow360'_ , using it to send her message." _Why do you think his name is Thane Krios?"_

She returned to the main page and resumed her scrolling. Laughing occasionally, and shaking her head in dismay at some of the crap people posted. ' _Batarian Assassin Spotted With His Elcor Lover'_. ' _Were the Citadel Councilors Once Assassins?'_. ' _Turian Hierarchy Trains All Turians to be Assassins'_. ' _Are Spectres Really Just Legal Assassins?'_. ' _Asari Assassin Planning to Take Over Illium'_.

Jasmine stopped, her blood turning to ice in her veins when she saw a picture of herself.

 _No._

She stared at it for five minutes, frozen by the implications.

 _Sonofabitch. Shit. Shit. Shit._

Jasmine clicked on the picture and read the caption, " _Human female seen leaving the scene immediately after the assassination of Dr. Judith Belfast. Dr. Belfast was killed in the streets of Atlanta, and while all others nearby flee in terror or move in to help the doctor, this mysterious woman walks calmly away without even a second glance in Dr. Belfast's direction."_

Jasmine snorted, scratching at the invisible insects crawling up her arms as she denied what was in front of her. "Lucky. That's it, you got lucky."

She wrestled with the idea of reporting it to her liaison. If the picture had popped up anywhere else, she wouldn't bat an eye. It was a poor shot, showing her profile only. Taken at a distance, it could have been anyone really. She didn't think that anyone would recognize it as her unless she was standing right next to the image. Nothing about the picture itself implicated her; no weapon poking out of her jacket, no blood on her hands. She told herself to close the thread and forget about it, but instead found herself browsing the comments.

" _Yeah, but Dr. Belfast was charged with committing acts of illegal research, using living specimens bought from slavers. She only got off on the charges because the rich hag had a good lawyer. Don't you think she kinda deserved what she got?"_

"Yes, yes, I do." Jasmine looked at her empty coffee mug again before finally getting up to get a refill.

" _Why can't anyone on this site ever post a clear fucking picture of anything?!"_

"Thank God they can't." She blew over the top of the steaming liquid, inhaling the rich scent, feeling it wash away the nagging doubt.

" _IKR? I mean look at her, she looks hot as fuck. I want to see a close up of that rack!"_

Jasmine spit coffee out all over the table and laptop. "Shit!" She hurried to the bathroom, grabbing a towel to mop it up, shutting down the laptop before the coffee could soak in and fry the live circuitry. She laid the towel out on the table and flipped the laptop upside down, hoping that any moisture inside would make its way back out.

Jasmine made her way back to the bathroom, stripping off her tank top and underwear to join the growing pile of laundry on the bathroom floor. She turned on the shower and let her hair down before stepping under the near scalding spray. She told herself she'd go to the range for three hours, and then she'd let herself take a nap. Then, and only then would she see what else she could find on _'Assassins Unveiled'_.


	5. Nela T'Saaran

**Nela T'Saaran**

Jasmine's tank top clung to her like a second skin, cold and clammy enough that goosebumps lifted the hair on her arms. Sticky and itchy, her skin crawled with the need to shower, but she forced herself to concentrate on caring for her rifle first. Her rifle always came first. Jasmine knelt before the opened case on the floor, carefully settling the freshly cleaned weapon into the foam cutout.

Adrenaline spiked through her system when someone knocked at the door, her tired muscles tightening in response preparing for fight or flight. Jasmine whispered a curse and closed the lid, then slid it under her bed. She ran a hand over her comforter, smoothing out the beige fabric and tugging down the corner to conceal the gun case. She eased her pistol off the nightstand as she stood, wincing at even the slight scrape of metal against wood. Rift had stopped by earlier that morning, so she didn't think he'd be back so soon.

She crossed the floor on silent feet, ears straining to hear anything on the other side of the metal door as she activated the security feed. Surprise and determination warred with caution when the screen showed Thane—if that was his name. He kept his face turned away, even as she adjusted the camera to assure herself he was alone.

Jasmine moved to the kitchen table and set her gun down so she could give her apartment a quick once-over. Darting across her studio, she scooped dirty laundry off the floor between the foot of her bed and dresser before running back to the bathroom to toss it inside. She stuffed clean clothes hastily back into half-opened drawers before sliding them closed. She let out a yelp as she caught her finger in one of the drawers, bringing the wounded, throbbing digit to her mouth.

Jasmine hesitated next to the table on her way back to the door, casting a dread-filled glance at the stack of ancient dirty dishes piled in the sink and the overflowing garbage can shoved between the counter and refrigerator. She let out a sigh, there was nothing to be done for either of those things now. Jasmine picked her pistol back up from the table and strolled to the door, squaring her shoulders and brushing damp strands of hair off her face.

Jasmine smirked as she opened the door and peered around the frame. "So you _do_ know how to knock."

"I was told you wished to speak with me." Contorting without revealing himself in full profile to the camera, he met her eyes.

"Yeah, two weeks ago." Jasmine pushed away from the door frame. "Relax, before you hurt something. I'll let you watch me erase it, I promise."

Jasmine took a few steps toward the table. She paused to glance over her shoulder, surprised that he remained outside. She assumed he'd want to get out of sight as quickly as possible; she would've. Her gut twisted sending little flares of warning to tighten her muscles. He blinked, unmoving as he watched her expectantly.

 _Christ, he's waiting for me to actually invite him in. What, now all the sudden he's Mr. Manners?_

Jasmine waved her free hand, beckoning him inside. "Come in, please."

Thane dipped his head and stepped over the threshold. "Thank you."

Jasmine snorted softly. She hooked her heel on the leg of the chair, pulling it out for Thane before taking her seat on the opposite side of the table. He stood in the middle of her floor, watching her with infuriating patience.

"I swear to God, if you make me have to _invite_ you before you sit … ." Jasmine tapped the muzzle of her pistol with her finger.

Thane scoffed, his chest rising and falling with his amusement. "Are you always this inhospitable to your guests?" He smiled when Jasmine rolled her eyes. Moving to the chair he brushed the tails of his jacket out behind him and sat. "Very well. You asked for me, here I am. What can I do for you, Ms. Shepard?"

Jasmine sat the pistol on the table before resting her arms on either side. "To start you can drop the 'Ms.'. You dug through my underwear drawer, I hardly think that leaves us on such formal ground."

His eyebrow twitched, though what emotion triggered the response she couldn't tell. He leaned forward, steepling his fingers together on the table's surface. "As you wish. Do you prefer Shepard or Jasmine?"

 _I don't know; do you prefer Krios or Thane?_

"Shepard's fine. Nice middle ground." Jasmine lifted her shoulder in a deliberate shrug. "I wanted to talk to you about Rift."

Thane nodded. "I assumed as much."

"I want you to stop using him to do your dirty work." Jasmine kept her voice neutral, letting the words speak for themselves. "It's not safe for a kid his age. You're going to get him killed."

Thane blinked twice, his lips parting just enough to betray his surprise. Jasmine slammed the door on the giddy thrill that tingled through her before her lips could do more than twitch. Finally, she'd gotten to the smug bastard.

"I—This is not what I expected." He turned his hands to the table's surface.

"You expected me to yell at you for sending him to gather information on me?" Jasmine arched an eyebrow. "Or maybe just for convincing the kid to stay away from me, telling him I was leaving?"

"I assure you, Shepard, nothing I ask Rift to do will result in his death." Thane's features remained smooth, giving her nothing to work with.

"How can you be so sure?" She lifted an eyebrow. "What exactly do you ask Rift to do? Other than chat up assassins having lunch?"

Thane showed her his palms before pressing the tips of his fingers back together again. "He was safe with you."

"You don't know that. I could have gotten suspicious enough to hurt the kid." Under normal circumstances, Jasmine would be pleased if someone thought her safe enough for children to talk to. Coming from him, though, it felt like more of an insult.

"You would have spared Marquis' guards. Grown, armed men, known to be aiding Marquis in his endeavors. I hardly think you would have shot an innocent child surrounded by a crowd of civilians." His smile only added to the feeling of condescension.

Her eyes narrowed, and she shook her head. "No … Christ, you were _watching_ him talk to me, weren't you?" Jasmine leaned forward, her voice dropping.

He flashed his palms again. "Of course."

"I still could have hurt him, and it would have been because _you_ put him in danger." Jasmine's jaw clenched, and she fought to bring down the tide of fury before she gave too much away.

"Perhaps," he said.

"Perhaps?" Her eyebrow arched.

"You assume I wasn't prepared to take your life the second it became necessary." Thane smirked, just a small lift at the corner of his mouth.

"Were you?" Thinking he could have her in his crosshairs without her knowing felt like someone dumped ice water over her head. The hairs on the back of her neck rose, making her want to check her six even though he sat right in front of her.

Thane only smiled. The urge to lunge across the table and throttle the drell made her fingers twitch, but she fought it back.

"You are concerned for his safety over yours?" He arched a brow ridge.

"He's a little boy. What is he, seven? He's simply not developmentally equipped to fully grasp when a situation he is in is dangerous." Jasmine danced around the question as smoothly as he dodged hers.

Thane chuckled. "Like accepting food and gifts from strange women?"

"This isn't about me. It's not about Rift talking to me." Jasmine shook her head again. "It's not even about you paying a child to gather information on me, so don't make it about me."

"Now there's an interesting idea. I made a request of you, Shepard, and you refused. Now you're making a request of me." Thane leaned forward, holding Jasmine's gaze. "Are you willing to reconsider my request in exchange for my promise that I'll leave Rift alone?"

Jasmine stared at him in silence, her mouth drying out under the weight of his scrutiny. She really should have seen that one coming. She planned to make him an offer, it just didn't involve her leaving the Citadel. She couldn't put in a request to be moved now even if she wanted to. Leon knew her too well to think she'd given up on her self-prescribed extra training so soon.

Jasmine leaned back in her chair, forcing confidence into her voice she didn't really feel. "I have something else I think will interest you more."

He stood from the chair, smoothing his hands down his jacket before tucking them behind his back. "If you'll kindly erase your video recordings of my arrival, I am certain I can avoid any cameras as I leave." He turned and walked toward the door, exposing his back to her. "A wise addition, I commend you."

Turning his back on her felt like an insult. "If you're really worried about my cameras, you might want to sit back down and listen to what I have to offer." She paused when he continued to walk away. "There's an old Earth saying: A picture's worth a thousand words. I only needed two of them: Thane Krios."

She didn't flinch when he spun on her, his pistol out and leveled at her head. Brilliant blue-white biotic energy swirled around his other palm. Even though she expected his reaction, and she managed to keep her face calm, her heart stuttered before picking up speed as if it were trying to burst out of her chest. Everything in her body screamed at her to take action, insisting she put down the threat.

Jasmine kept her breathing slow and steady. He wouldn't shoot her, she assured herself, at least not until he had his answers. It was an insane risk for one little boy, but she had to try. It would be an insult to everything Geoffrey and his family gave her if she didn't.

"The _drala'fa_ couldn't have given you that much." His hands remained steady, his tone demanding answers as he stared her down. "You spoke to someone about me, shared my image with them. Who?"

 _What the hell is the drala'fa?_

"Give me your word you'll leave Rift alone, and I'll share my source. It isn't really asking much, if you think about it. I know he's not the only street kid you pay to do your dirty work." Jasmine stood, keeping her palms on the table and her eyes on his. "You asked if I value his safety over mine. I guess this is your answer."

Bemusement flickered across his face before disappearing just as swiftly. "You'd rather I kill you than leave the Citadel? You'll die for him but you won't leave for him?"

"If I'm not here, how will I know if you've kept your word?" Her lips pressed into a thin line of determination. "Besides, I have plans here, and I don't respond well to bullies. Do we have a deal or not, Krios?"

They stared at each other in tense silence, the seconds passing by painfully slow. Jasmine was ready to throw herself to the side at the slightest twitch. She might not get out of the way in time, but if he missed just one shot, she'd have a chance.

His lips parted, the word escaping him barely above the sound of a whisper. "Yes."

Jasmine let the breath she only just realized she'd been holding seep out through her nose. "I have your word?"

"You have my word." Thane lowered the pistol and let his biotics fade away.

Jasmine moved slowly, not wanting to push him into action. She retrieved her laptop from her bed before carrying it back to the table, gesturing at the chair. Thane sat down, leaving his hand on his pistol as he rested it on the table.

She opened the laptop and hit the power button, her eyes going to him over the top of the lid. "I didn't share your picture with anyone. I haven't taken another since Marquis' office. Someone else has a picture of you though, and they've posted it on the extranet." She ran her fingers over the keys as she spoke, typing in the address for ' _Assassins Unveiled'_. "I didn't expect to find anything legitimate there. It's surprising how much carried the ring of truth."

Jasmine scrolled down the list until she found the thread containing Thane's image. She opened it and slid the laptop toward him. "' _The One-Hour Massacre on Omega'_."

Something too brief for Jasmine to pinpoint flickered across his face. His hand moved to the laptop, his eyes moving over the screen. Jasmine leaned back against her chair, crossing her arms lightly over her chest as she watched him. A few silent moments later, he scrolled down. Jasmine waited for whatever emotion ghosted across his face to show again, but his features remained smooth and calm.

Restlessness set in, and she pushed away from the table, catching the way his eyes jerked to her. "I'm thirsty." Jasmine crossed over to the kitchen sink, feeling him watch her as she moved.

 _What's the matter, Krios? Not so sure of me now, are you?_

She opened the cabinet and took down two glasses, glancing over her shoulder. "Ice water?"

"No, I'm fine. Thank you."

Jasmine filled them both with ice water anyway. As an afterthought, she grabbed the napkins she'd swiped from _Le Bleu_ on her way back to the table. He still watched her, turning in his seat to keep her in his sights. Jasmine sat her glass down on a napkin in front of her chair before doing the same with his. "In case you change your mind. I'll drink from it first if it makes you feel better."

"I'm going to put this away now." Hovering her hand over her pistol, Jasmine waited for him to nod before moving it to the nightstand. It was little more than a gesture, she had other weapons on her, and she knew he wouldn't think for a second that she had completely disarmed herself. The symbolism of the gesture mattered more than the action, her way of telling him she didn't intend to harm him. When she turned back to him, he holstered his gun as well. Jasmine returned to her seat and picked up her glass, pleased when he did the same. He held her gaze as they both drank before he turned his attention back to the laptop.

He lifted his eyes to hers. "Is there more?"

Jasmine pulled the laptop to her and navigated to her private messages. She opened the correspondence with ' _I'llNeverTell360'_ before pushing the laptop back to him. "You've got a fan, Krios. It's almost endearing."

Jasmine could have lied, but she knew he wouldn't believe her. She hoped the show of transparency would squash any doubts because she didn't plan on showing him all of her cards in one night. Picking up her glass of water, she took another drink as she walked to her dresser. A small smile of satisfaction tugged at the corners of her lips when she felt his eyes on her back again.

 _More dangerous than you thought, aren't I?_

Jasmine moved to the foot of the bed, bending to retrieve a laundry basket tucked between it and the wall. She put the basket on the bed and dug around for a clean towel, her hand brushing over the sheathed knife tucked away in the basket. Finding a towel, she pulled it out and tossed it on the bed with her clothes. "You're not reading."

Thane's eyes returned to the screen. "He's asked to meet you."

"He has." Jasmine smirked.

"You refused him?" His eyes were on her again, watching her as she gathered the clothes in a pile with the towel.

"I did." Jasmine thought that would have been obvious, but answered anyway.

"If you believe what this person says, why wouldn't you agree to meet him?" His brow rose. "Clearly you were trying to learn all you could about me."

Jasmine snorted. "You don't spend a lot of time with humans, do you?" She grabbed her glass of water off the dresser and returned to her chair. "He asked me to meet him for drinks. He's not looking to exchange information." The confusion in his eyes brought an easy smile to her face, and she lifted an eyebrow. "Are you really that much of a prude?"

He chuckled. "Ah."

More time passed in silence, Jasmine watching Thane as he continued to read. When he looked up again, he seemed amused. "You told him you saw me on Illium a week ago?"

"Consider it a _professional courtesy_." Jasmine smirked, throwing his words back at him.

Thane turned the laptop back toward Jasmine without asking for more. She was happy to keep her secrets, and now that he had gotten close enough for her laptop to sync with his omni-tool, she would keep his secrets, too. Jasmine closed the lid to the laptop and made her way to the security monitor. Thane followed her, staying too close for comfort, but she did her best to keep her body relaxed and her movements steady.

Jasmine's fingers hovered over the monitor's keys. "Don't suppose you're going to confirm any of it for me?" She smiled when he didn't answer. "That's alright, I can figure it out on my own."

Thane sighed, the sound less annoyed and more weary to Jasmine's ears. "Leave it alone, Shepard. Who I am and what I've done … these aren't useful things for anyone to know."

"Where's the fun in that? Don't forget, Krios. You started this." Jasmine dropped her hand from the monitor and turned to face him fully. "Just one question. Don't answer it if you don't want to."

Thane tucked his hands behind his back and dipped his head.

"The One-Hour Massacre … _was_ it you?"

"I should be going." He turned his attention back to the monitor.

Jasmine took his avoidance as a yes. She thought he'd it clear otherwise with his obsession over his reputation. "Those weren't passionless contract kills." She ran her hands over the monitor, erasing the stored footage of Thane's arrival. She never promised him the backup footage. "I hope they deserved it."

"Indeed." Thane opened the door, pausing long enough to glance over his shoulder at her. "Goodnight, Shepard."

* * *

Thane hurried down the hall, sticking to the shadows and avoiding Jasmine's cameras. He didn't need to think about the apartment complex's cameras, he already knew where they were, and his feet moved him away from them of their own accord. He didn't know where he planned to go, he only knew he wanted away from the complex and the woman inside.

She had rattled him—as much as he loathed admitting it—with her willingness to put herself in danger to save a child she barely knew. Staring him down, defiant to the threat of the gun in his hand, she'd nearly shaken loose the memories of Irikah throwing herself between his targeting laser and his mark. If he had slipped, opened his mouth and let the memories consume him in her presence, he wouldn't have recovered.

He'd underestimated her. She'd found information on him that his contacts had yet to discover; yet to remove. Granted, the majority of it held little more than conjecture, but even conjecture could prove accurate from time to time. He would need to contact Theodus and have the site wiped, but first, he wanted to see what else it held. The way Jasmine had directed him to a specific thread, opened the messages for him, instead of giving him leave to look over the site as he willed, led him to believe there was more there she didn't want him to see.

* * *

Jasmine settled into the chair, freshly showered with a cup of hot coffee and two day old, reheated Chinese. Her laptop sat open in front of her, the right side of the screen filled with the live feed from Thane's omni-tool, motion sickness inducing images of people milling about the Citadel as he wove his way through the crowd. The left side of the screen mostly blank, showing only two messages in Thane's inbox. The first had an attached dossier on an asari named Nela T'Saaran. The second, a message she opened and then remarked as unread, came from Mouse saying he hadn't found anything. The other folders were empty.

Jasmine downloaded the dossier and the sender's extranet address to her laptop. She'd look over it in more detail in the morning, when exhaustion didn't leave her mind in a fog and her body feeling like lead. She skimmed it enough to get the gist. The asari was into some bad business practices, definitely bad enough to land her in prison but not bad enough to get her killed in Jasmine's eyes. She must have pissed off someone with deep pockets.

Jasmine turned her attention back to the live feed, blowing steam away from the coffee mug she held perched in front of her face. "Where are you going, Krios?"

Jasmine watched as Thane slipped into an alley, leaving behind the noise and pressing eyes of the main streets. A few meters in, he turned to face a ladder. Jasmine watched as the view alternated between the back wall above his head, to his face and chest sliding past as he climbed the ladder. His eyes flickered to his omni-tool, giving the impression he looked right at Jasmine. She couldn't keep the hairs from standing up on the back of her neck.

Darkness filled the live feed. Jasmine's fingers ran over the keyboard, bringing up the location tracking map in the lower corner of the screen. The steady movement of the dot the only thing telling her she hadn't lost him. Jasmine leaned back, bending her right knee, she rested her foot on the edge of the chair. The screen remained dark for several long minutes before slowly the area around Thane lightened enough for her to see the stretch of I-beams and ceiling tiles ahead of him.

Jasmine continued to watch with growing boredom as he made his way down another ladder, through three blocks of civilian packed streets, and to a rapid transit stand. Jasmine let out a yawn, setting her cup down on the table so she could stretch her arms out behind her. Her spine cracked as she bent her back over the chair, eliciting a soft moan of pleasure.

Now in the skycar, Thane brought his omni-tool to his face. Jasmine leaned forward, elbows on the table she rested her chin in her palm. The left side of her screen flashed a dialog box asking her if she wished to view current omni-tool activity. Jasmine hit 'yes' and watched as the screen blinked to Thane's omni-tool's main screen.

Jasmine watched as he accessed his inbox and opened Mouse's message. A few seconds later, an empty box popped up and words began appearing on the screen.

" _Thank you, Mouse. I'll pursue other avenues to find what I need."_ A box popped up saying the message had been sent.

 _Who's he looking into? T'Saaran? Me?_

The remaining message, empty save the attachment, opened on the screen. The dossier began downloading to the omni-tool. When finished, he deleted all traces of both emails from his omni-tool and opened the dossier.

Jasmine watched the green of his eyes, illuminated by the orange glow of his omni-tool, as they moved back and forth. Her thoughts strayed, her eyes moving to take in the creases where the plates of his face met. She realized she found the symmetry appealing, and then frowning, she pushed the thought away with no intention of evaluating it later. Thane deleted the dossier and closed his omni-tool, dropping his arm and giving her a view of the dashboard.

 _Damn, that's got to come in handy; being able to remember everything like that. I'd kill for that._

Jasmine snickered at her own joke as the tracking software told her he entered Zakera Ward. A few minutes later, the skycar landed and he was on the move again. The sounds and sights of the ward filtering through his omni-tool for Jasmine to observe.

Jasmine's eyelids were starting to droop. She finished her now cold leftovers and even colder coffee before taking the laptop with her to bed. She threw back the covers and climbed in, checking that her hoard of weapons were all where they were supposed to be and within easy reach before tucking the blankets in around her waist. She settled the laptop down on her thighs and fluffed the pillows behind her back.

She perked up when Thane used a service entrance to enter an apartment complex. The tracking software showing her the address and name of the complex. She watched, her eyes glued to the screen as he opened a door marked thirty-six.

 _Is this your place, Krios?_

The lights came on in the apartment, showing her the pristine, spartan layout. Thane moved to a desk tucked in a corner, the view shifted, dropping lower. From the position, she assumed he'd sat down. The view shifted again, turning sideways, where it stayed for a couple of minutes before moving around again, showing her bits of the desk, the wall, the ceiling and his green scales. When it finally settled, Jasmine could see the top half of an opened laptop as the extranet address for ' _Assassins Unveiled'_ appeared in the search bar.

Jasmine grinned. The angle made it difficult, but she watched as he made his way through the site, starting at the top and working his way down. Sleep won out, and Jasmine dozed off while reading something about an elcor assassin taking contracts on human civilians.

She jerked awake, rubbing her blurry eyes as she tried to focus on the screen. She couldn't make heads or tails out of the comments currently in her line of sight. They didn't seem to be talking about assassins at all, but rather about batarian anatomy. Jasmine blinked and sat the laptop aside, her bladder demanding release. Settling back into the bed after using the bathroom, she picked up the laptop. Her hand froze with it in midair when she saw the blurry image of herself.

 _Go ahead, Krios. Read it all. It'll give you nothing of value, I already checked._

The view tilted sideways as she settled the laptop back to her comforter. She began to wonder if he'd fallen asleep at his desk when the picture moved out of sight. He stopped scrolling at the caption. Jasmine didn't bother trying to read it, with the view tilted to the side it'd give her a headache and she already knew what it said.

 _Good old Dr. Belfast. Yep, she was one of mine. Good luck making any connection to me other than this one crappy photo and some anonymous twat's speculation._

The page scrolled down to the comments section. The omni-tool picked up a soft chuckle, making Jasmine frown. He scrolled further, and laughed again. This time the comments on the screen were all about Jasmine's attractiveness and the unsurprisingly unimaginative things the skeezbag users wanted to do to her.

 _Ouch, Krios. I hope you're laughing at these idiots and not at the idea that someone out there might actually find me attractive enough to want to tie me up and spank me._

Near the end of the page, Jasmine caught sight of a longer comment she hadn't seen before. She twisted her head to the side, trying to make out the script.

" _Hey, I think I know this girl! Yeah, I'm almost certain it's her. Her name's Jazz, well, it's what she went by back in the day. She must have been like 16 the last time I saw her. Man, no way's she's an assassin. She lived on the streets, her parents were dead, and she was so sand fried she couldn't even tie her own shoes half the time. No way did she get her shit together enough to be doing this. Trust me, if Jazz killed anyone, she'd been caught."_

Bile rose up into the back of Jasmine's throat. She swallowed, trying to force it back down before she lost her dinner all over the bed.

 _Shit. Who the fuck? Damn it, now I have to report this. Leon's going to be pissed._

"Ah." The sound of Thane's voice coming through her speakers startled her.

 _And Krios is buying it. Fantastic._

"But why only Rift?" Thane asked himself.

Jasmine let out a weary sigh. "Because he wants to join the Alliance and fly the ships."

"Unless she intends to bargain for the others later." Thane said.

 _Now there's an idea. I might just do that._

Jasmine turned to her side, setting the laptop down on the bed, and snuggling down into her pillows. She continued to watch as threads opened and closed in front of her eyes until sleep won over.


	6. Bon Tonak

Chapter 6: Bon Tonak

Jasmine jerked awake, her heart beating against her ribs, her lungs gasping for breath. She scrambled for her pistol, her eyes desperately searching for the source of the voice that woke her. She scanned past the laptop on her bed beside her before her brain screeched to a halt. She looked back at the laptop, memories of the night before falling into place.

Krios, Jesus Christ. God, what the hell is he doing up so early?

Jasmine sat the pistol back on the nightstand and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Thane's voice filtering through her speakers demanded her attention.

Who are you talking to?

"Her tongue tastes like cinuela. Bittersweet. 'He's still sleeping, my love. Come back to bed with me.'" Thane's voice, heavy and coarse, sent shivers down her spine.

"Oh. My. God." Jasmine closed the lid of the laptop, cutting off the sound of the drell's reminiscing as soon as she realized he'd become lost in the memory.

She was curious about his ability to recall details vividly, and her research told her drell often voiced them aloud when caught in the memory, but listening in on—a warm blush crept up her neck—whatever that was, felt a little too close to voyeurism for Jasmine's comfort. Not that she had anything against people who liked to watch. She'd been known to watch a time or two, but there was nothing covert about those nights. There were some aspects of a person's privacy you just didn't invade—not unless they asked you to.

At least when they aren't even a target.

Jasmine climbed out of bed, tossing the covers haphazardly over the computer and raced to the bathroom, her bladder feeling as big as a grapefruit ready to burst. Sighing in relief as she emptied her bladder, she stripped, kicking her clothes to the corner to start a new laundry pile before turning on the shower. Thane's words echoed in her ears as she stepped under the hot water spray, the bite of the heat easing her aching muscles. She groaned, pushing her head under the shower, trying to wash the sound of his voice away. Instead, she focused on what to tell her liaison.

She put off leaving the shower until her fingers and toes were well wrinkled. Jasmine dried off before wrapping the towel around her hair, twisting the terrycloth and piling it on top. She left the bathroom to dig through her dresser, tossing rejected pieces of her wardrobe over her shoulder. Finally settling on black leggings and a sleeveless, only slightly wrinkled, yellow blouse, she got dressed and shoved the rest of the clothes back in the dresser. Remembering her pinched finger, she paid closer attention as she closed the drawers.

She ditched the towel in the bathroom and grabbed her hairbrush. Stopping back by the bed to unearth her laptop, Jasmine moved to the kitchen table. She took her time brushing her hair, wondering if enough time passed for Thane to move on to something less lascivious.

Jasmine let the brush clatter to the table and sighed. Slowly, she lifted the lid of the laptop, ready to slam it closed again if she heard, or saw, anything graphic. The laptop screen sprung to life, showing her a little bit more than she'd bargained for, but not as much as she feared.

Thane's image reflected back to her from his bathroom mirror. Fists pressed into the countertop as he stared at his reflection, unblinking and nearly as still as death itself. The steady, if shallow, rise and fall of his very bare chest the only sign she wasn't looking at a corpse. Jasmine cleared her throat and tore her eyes from his image, refusing to believe she'd let her eyes linger a second longer than necessary.

I'm not attracted to him. I'm not. I can't be, because I hate him. Okay, maybe hate is a strong word. I just really, really don't like him. He's arrogant, and cold, and he infuriates me … and … and I just don't like him.

She split the screen, opening her browser side by side with Thane's live feed. She typed in the url for 'Assassins Unveiled' and opened her omni-tool while it loaded and started a message to her liaison.

"Phantom ACH35 requesting erasure of personally identifying information located at:"

Jasmine turned her attention back to the laptop, scrolling down to find the thread. She froze, her heart skipping a beat. She couldn't find the thread. Confusion warred with fear, lifting the hairs on the back of her neck.

Where the hell is it?

Jasmine scrolled to the top of the screen and typed the name of the thread into the search bar. The page refreshed, pulling up an error message telling her, "No forum threads were found matching the search results." Her lips turned down, her brow furrowing as she tried her search again to no avail.

Jasmine chewed her lip, tapping her nails on the table. She went back to the main forum page and looked for 'The One-Hour Massacre on Omega' instead, but it had disappeared, too. Her lips puckered, sucking her teeth as her gaze slid back to the drell statue on the left side of her screen.

Did you do this, Sere Krios? Hmm. What's this going to cost me?

* * *

Thane stood over the body of Nela T'Saaran, his hands clasped in front of him, and his head bowed in prayer.

Kalahira, mistress of inscrutable depths, I ask forgiveness. Kalahira, whose waves wear down stone and sand—Kalahira, wash the sins from me. Kalahira, though this one's life was not mine to take, I ask that you not forsake me, and when my time comes, Kalahira set me on the distant shore of the infinite spirit as you will with her.

Dropping his hands to his side, he lifted his head and glanced at the chromatic surface of the machinery in front of him. Curiously pleased she finally decided to stop hiding, he smiled at the reflected image of the persistent woman standing in the shadows behind him.

"You're getting better, Shepard. I only saw you three times on the way here." Thane turned, tucking his hands behind his back. "Why have you followed me? Were you not satisfied with the terms of our agreement?"

Jasmine shifted in the shadows, the whites of her eyes as bright as beacons to him. "Why do you pray for them?"

"I'm—I don't think you followed me here for a discussion on my religious preferences." Thane took a step forward, trying to convey calm with casual movements. The intensity of her gaze itched at the back of his skull reminding him that she was more than she seemed. "If you don't mind, I believe it's best if we move our conversation elsewhere."

Thane's breath caught in his throat when Jasmine turned, the movement throwing her citrus scent into the air. Memories of Irikah picking fruit from the trees outside of their home, Kolyat giggling while he ran circles around his mother's legs, threatened to consume him. He gently cleared his throat, pushing her scent from his nostrils.

Jasmine bolted forward, planting her boot on the edge of a crate she propelled herself at the wall. Her foot made contact with the wall just long enough for the tight muscles to flex beneath the clinging material she clothed herself in, giving her leverage as she sprung forward. His lips twitched as her hand made contact with the half ladder extending from the balcony.

Jasmine pulled herself up, hand over hand until she could reach the rungs with her feet. At the top, she turned to look down at him. Foolish pride blazed in her eyes, challenging him to do better. Many, many years had come and gone since he felt the need to rise to a challenge. He was out of her league, by far, so why did he find himself wanting to best her? He wouldn't rise to this challenge either, he needn't show off his better skill.

Thane waited for her to step back from the edge before moving to stand beneath the ladder. Keeping it simple, he bent his knees and jumped, his denser muscles giving him an advantage over the human. There was no pride to take in a matter of simple biological differences.

Thane climbed up, stepping onto the balcony two meters from Jasmine. Her jaw twitched, a coldness glazing her eyes. It seemed Jasmine didn't agree with his sentiment.

She pivoted and started walking, leading the way across the balcony in relative silence. Thane smiled at her back, amused that he'd so easily gotten under her skin. He followed, curious to see where she would lead him and what path she would take. Confident that should she attempt to strike, he could end her quickly.

Thane fell into the shadows, guarding his step and counting the small sounds echoing back to him from Jasmine. He followed her up the next ladder and across the third floor balcony of the warehouse without question, understanding she meant to exit through the roof. Not the worst choice, but he would have used the connecting catwalk to cross over to the neighboring building, then used the maintenance shafts to enter the keeper tunnels. It would have kept him in seclusion until halfway across the ward.

Thane leapt from rooftop to rooftop, wondering when she would speak and what she would say. Perhaps she'd already decided to bargain for another drala'fa. He stepped up beside her, waiting patiently when she finally came to a stop near the edge of the roof.

She turned to face him, her arms hung loosely at her sides. "You removed it from the website, didn't you?"

He watched her for a moment, looking for signs of what she might be thinking. Heaviness settling onto his shoulders when he saw no sign of gratitude. "Indeed."

"This doesn't change anything for Rift." Jasmine's finger twitched.

The strain in her voice as she said the boy's name dug at Thane in a way he didn't anticipate. "I gave you my word, Shepard."

She breathed deeply, pulling the air in through her nose, speaking on the exhale. "Then why? What's this going to cost me, Krios?"

Thane dropped his eyes from hers, shaking his head. "It was a—."

"Professional courtesy." Jasmine sighed and crossed her arms. "I didn't need you to do that. It would've been taken care of."

Obstinate, insufferable can't you just be grateful and leave me be? What is it you want from me?

"I believe the words you're looking for are 'thank you.'" Thane kept his expression flat.

Jasmine snorted and rolled her eyes. "Whatever." She moved to the edge and grabbed the ladder, climbing down.

Thane moved closer and watched her descent. "You're welcome." He chuckled when she glared up at him.

Thane turned and walked away from the ladder. Leaping to the next rooftop from the side of the building instead, he left Jasmine to go her separate way.

He'd realized something was off that morning and with Theodus' help, found the infiltration. They traced it back to Jasmine's apartment within minutes. Learning the Alliance assassin had been the one to tap into his omni-tool left him conflicted, he wasn't sure whether to be relieved or concerned. Mostly he felt annoyed with himself for letting it happen and taking two days to learn it existed.

He assumed she wanted more information to bargain with, but admitted he'd underestimated her yet again. He'd been foolish not to anticipate such an action, the woman clearly had taken an interest in him. He just wasn't sure to what end.

Until then, he'd thought it something personal she wanted to keep hidden from the Alliance. She lied to her liaison about seeing him, and as far as he could tell she didn't file any other reports on him. At least, no one else ever came looking for him. She invited him, begrudgingly, into her home and offered him drink. Most telling, she made no move against his life, even when he threatened hers.

Now, he couldn't be so sure. Did the Alliance send her after him? If so, Jasmine either did a magnificent job of acting inept to keep him off guard, or the Alliance severely underestimated his capabilities. Either possibility didn't bode well for him. If she attempted to take his life, he'd be forced to kill her. If the Alliance sent one assassin after him and she failed, they'd only send someone more experienced.

With the link traced, Theodus assured him he wasn't being actively monitored and the link could be broken at anytime. Theodus showed him what Jasmine accessed and what she downloaded to her own computer. Most troubling to him, he learned she used the omni-tool to gain live tracking as well as visual and audio. She didn't appear to be recording audio and visual, but did have his coordinates logged every fifteen minutes.

She now knew where he currently lived, but that could be rectified easily enough. He wouldn't have stayed at that particular apartment more than another week at most anyway. What worried him was what she might have heard.

Theodus sent him a log showing the times she activated the live feed. Thane poured over his memories of the previous two days, comparing his movements to the times Jasmine watched him. Uncertain of the exact times he slipped into his memories of Irikah and Kolyat left him with only a rough idea to work with. He spent two hours comparing his time estimates to the log, the air rushing from his lungs when he realized Jasmine terminated the feed either shortly after or just before he spoke of his time with his dead wife. She at least afforded him that privacy, and though he appreciated the consideration, he couldn't understand why.

When he hunted a target, he looked for every scrap he could find. Oftentimes the smallest detail could prove to be the most useful; the one thing to determine his success in the end. Surely his memories would provide her more information than his exercise routine.

Thane asked Theodus to leave the connection in place for the time being, creating a five second delay. Five seconds was all Theodus could give him without it becoming easily detectable. He reversed the feed for Thane, giving him access to her laptop and synced it to his own.

He set his laptop to record constantly so he could watch at his leisure, when she wasn't actively watching him. Theodus set up a silent alert, the simple pulse from the omni-tool cuff wouldn't be transmitted to Jasmine, but would inform Thane when she accessed the feed. By allowing her to watch him, he could, in effect, watch her. It would mean breaking from his routine, keeping his movements orchestrated, his thoughts guarded, but he wanted to give it at least a couple more days to see if he could ferret out what the woman wanted from him.

* * *

"Phantom ACH35, please find attached dossier and respond with acknowledgment of assignment."

Jasmine saved the dossier on her omni-tool before sending her acknowledgement to her liaison. The dossier showed her a volus diplomat, Bon Tonak, scheduled to arrive on the Citadel in the morning. Her shoulders tightened; he'd be staying one day only, so she'd have to move fast. She didn't like fast. She liked moving on her terms, not the clocks.

The dossier included his itinerary, as well as a list of his guards. They offered no explanation as to why the Alliance marked him for death, and though rare, it wasn't unheard of. Whatever his crimes, it must be above her clearance. Jasmine didn't mind, sometimes the less she knew about her target, the easier her job could be.

Still, the Alliance really hadn't given her much to work with, most likely because of the short window of time the op was restricted by. She couldn't deny the way her stomach turned at the idea of going in quite so blind. Jasmine sat down at her table and opened her laptop.

First she would see what she could find about Bon Tonak on the extranet, then she would visit the locations on his itinerary. She'd need to choose a primary and secondary location at the least, with such limited time to work with, she needed to be prepared to miss her chance at one location and make it to the next before him.

Thane's live feed took up the left half of her screen. She frowned despite herself when Mouse's head bobbed into view. "Sere Krios! Look what I found! Cool, huh?" Mouse held up an anti-grav board popular among teens. Groups of them loitered outside of shops in the wards, using the anti-grav boards to do tricks off the shop walls and the rims of planters. "It's a little busted but it still works. Mostly."

Mouse once told Jasmine he thought he was thirteen, but he really couldn't remember for sure anymore. She knew he couldn't be any older than fifteen. Still all gangly limbs, chipped buck teeth, and big ears, he showed very few signs of having started puberty.

He'd been living on the streets of the Citadel since his mother abandoned him at only the age of five. Jasmine, infuriated by the news, asked him what his mother's name was, intent to find the woman herself and make her pay for her crimes, but Mouse only shrugged and said he couldn't remember. Unlike Rift, Mouse seemed fully accustomed to life as a duct rat. He showed wariness and distrust to everyone around, slow to warm up, though fast to take what he could get and then a little more when offered. He hadn't taken to Jasmine as completely as Rift had, only showing up when he needed something. Rift came because he cared for Jasmine, just as she cared for him.

"Ah. 'Cool' indeed. May I?" The feed jumped around as Thane held his hand out for the anti-grav board and turned it over in his hands. Jasmine snickered at hearing Thane use the term 'cool.' She caught a glimpse of two other children near by. They weren't ones she recognized, but their ragged appearance made it painfully clear they were every bit as homeless as Mouse. "If you would like, I can fix this and return it to you tomorrow."

His compassion and act of kindness for Mouse caught Jasmine off guard. Sure, Rift described Thane as nice, but she didn't take it to mean anything more than polite and generous with his payments. This was something different, and wholly unexpected. It made her feel a strange fondness for the drell that she didn't like, so she cut out the warm-fuzzy feeling and shoved it away, daring herself to say 'aw.'

Jasmine cleared her throat and opened her browser as Mouse's excited agreement tugged at her heartstrings. She typed in Bon Tonak's name and found a page on the volus embassies.

* * *

Jasmine grinned and shoved a French fry in her mouth. "I got you something today."

Rift's eyes lit up with excitement. "What is it?!" Bits of half chewed cheeseburger fell from his mouth as he spoke.

Jasmine reached under the table and pulled a box from the shopping bag at her feet. While waiting for Bon Tonak to finish with his meeting and move on to the next location on his itinerary, Jasmine browsed a few of the shops on the Presidium. She chose store locations that would allow her to watch the volus embassy's entrance through the windows. The meeting had been long; three hours and forty-five minutes were slated for it in his schedule. Jasmine couldn't bring herself to sit around doing nothing on the catwalks for that long if she didn't have to.

She hadn't planned on actually buying anything she'd have to lug around with her, but when she saw the model ship display she couldn't resist. Finding it marginally awkward trying to climb a ladder with a bag draped over her wrist, she'd cursed the entire time under her breath. She was pretty sure her shoulder and ribs were now bruised from the sharp edges of the box banging into her as she went.

Seeing that look on Rift's face made it all worthwhile. With a grin wide enough to make her cheeks ache, she held the box up where he could see the picture of the Destiny Ascension. "They didn't have any Alliance ships, but I thought you might like this."

Rift's smile faded, making Jasmine's heart ache . "I don't have anywhere to keep it."

"Well, you can keep it here. I'll make sure it stays safe." Jasmine swallowed against the lump in her throat and the painful squeezing in her chest.

His crooked smile returned full force. The hole from a missing incisor making him picture perfect. Jasmine wished she could take his picture, but it would be a foolish thing for her to keep. She really shouldn't even keep Samantha's drawing, but she couldn't bring herself to leave it behind. Not even after Thane made a point of showing her how vulnerable it made her.

"Will you help me build it?" Rift swung his legs beneath the table as he shoveled more food down his gullet.

"Of course! I'd be delighted." Jasmine winked at him, earning her a giggle.

Jasmine sat the box down in front of him so he could look at it while he ate. She watched him, picking at her fries and sipping her iced tea, soaking in the quiet moment completely content.

Jasmine cleared her throat, drawing Rift's attention and leaned forward. "Do you remember who Geoffrey is?"

"Ummm, yeah, he's your friend. You said he helped you." Rift guzzled his drink, making loud gulping noises.

"That's right. He's coming to visit me in a couple of days, and I'd really like for you to meet him. Would that be okay with you?"

Rift tilted his head to the side, squinting his eyes. "What if he doesn't like me? Lots of people don't like me because I don't got a mom or a dad anymore."

"Those people are idiots. Geoffrey will love you. I promise." Jasmine grinned. "So?"

"Okay. Does he like ships, too?" Rift returned to starting at the box in front of him.

Warmth spread out from her chest. "He sure does."

* * *

"So where is this boy turning you into a proud mom?" Geoffrey smiled and leaned back in the chair, glancing around her apartment. "Though it looks like not even he's been able to get you to clean house."

"Ha, ha, ha." Jasmine holstered her pistol at the small of her back and slipped her jacket on over it. "Don't go there, Geoffrey. We both know I'm not mother material." She reached up, adjusting the ponytail high on her head, using the motion to hide her smile. "He'll meet us there. You ready?"

Jasmine took Geoffrey to Le Bleu, choosing a table out on the patio. A few minutes after the waitress took their drink orders and disappeared in the throng, Rift ran up to the patio's fence with a toothy grin. Jasmine's heart did a funny little pitter-patter in her chest.

Christ. I am a proud mom. But he … he isn't mine to keep.

"Sorry I'm late, Jasmine!" Rift threw a leg over the top of the fence and pulled himself over.

Jasmine put the sole of her combat boot on the seat of the empty chair and pushed it out. "You're right on time." She ruffled his greasy mop of hair as he sat down. "Rift, I'd like you to meet my friend, Geoffrey. Geoffrey, this is Rift."

Jasmine pulled her napkin into her lap, using it to wipe off the residue from Rift's head while Geoffrey made a show of shaking his hand and telling him how good of a climber he was. Rift beamed with pride and dove right into regaling Geoffrey with tales of his great feats of physical prowess. Jasmine leaned back in her chair, content to listen to two of her most favorite people get to know one another.

Something pricked at the edges of Jasmine's consciousness, raising the hairs on the back of her neck and sending her skin crawling with invisible spiders. "Geoffrey, why don't you and Rift go wash up before we eat?"

Geoffrey looked at Jasmine, all hints of his smile fading from his eyes when they met hers, but his lips remained turned up at the corners, his voice light and easy. "I think we can handle that. What do you say, Rift?"

"Jasmine always makes me wash up." Rift hopped down from the chair and moved to take the hand Geoffrey held out to him. "I don't know why. I'm just gonna get dirty again."

Geoffrey chuckled, leading the boy inside. Jasmine leaned forward and propped an elbow on the table, forcing the tension from her neck and shoulders, she rested her chin on her palm. She dropped her other hand to her lap where she could easily reach behind her and grab her pistol. She willed idle boredom into her face and body, letting her eyes scan the crowd.

Colors and shapes becoming more defined, the angles of people's faces sharpened as she focused on the details, looking for minute expressions of aggression or the nervous twitch of someone's eyes trying too hard not to stare. Her ears picking up on snippets of conversations floating through the air around her, she filtered out the inconsequential chatter, straining to hear whispered plotting. She watched the mouths of people speaking, trying to find anyone who appeared to be talking to themselves who might actually be communicating through a comm. The odors of various Earth-style dishes wafted to her nostrils to swirl and mix with every scent of perfume or cologne around her. She took shallow breaths, tasting the scents and looking for anything that shouldn't be there, like the smell of a familiar poison.

No one stood out. An asari caught her eye and winked bringing an unexpected smile to Jasmine's lips. The man at the table across from her strained to see down her shirt, and under normal circumstances she might have been of a mind to give him a show—or an 'accidentally' spilled drink in his lap depending on her mood, but no one exuded malice or seemed more than passively interested in her. It gave her no relief, instead ratcheting up the sense that something was off. Someone, somewhere was watching her, she could feel it as solidly as the jacket draped over her torso. Jasmine turned to look behind her, sitting up straight to see above the heads of those seated inside the restaurant, giving the impression she looked for someone in particular as she scanned the crowd. Again, nothing and no one stood out. Still, her skin crawled.

She spotted Rift weaving his way through the tables, Geoffrey right behind him with a guiding hand on the child's shoulder. Rift saw her and waved. Jasmine forced a smile and waved back. Geoffrey raised a questioning eyebrow at her, and she lifted her shoulder in a slight shrug in response. Just as Jasmine was about to suggest they leave, Geoffrey cut her off with a stern look.

"I wonder if you'd mind trading seats with me, Rift? It's been so long since I've seen Jasmine, I want a good look at her pretty face." Geoffrey held his vacated chair out for Rift who giggled and climbed up.

Jasmine gave Geoffrey a warm smile. She knew damn well his decision had nothing to do with seeing her face and everything to do with showing her he didn't intend to run and hide. Ever since Geoffrey's uncle surrendered Shanxi during the First Contact War, Geoffrey acted as if he had something to prove, as if his bravery were in question. He'd spent long hours telling Jasmine the story of General Williams, and how he believed the Alliance had held him back over the years as a result. Still, his loyalty to the Alliance was unshakeable. It really gave new insight into the night Geoffrey decided to face down three men to save her life. There was more to his choice of changing seats, he wasn't just being brave by staying, but by acting as a shield to her and Rift, for what little good it might do. It also gave him the advantage of being able to watch her six, trusting in her to watch his. Even after all these years, he still made her feel as safe as the warmth of her father's embrace once had.

* * *

Thane stayed in the shadows watching Jasmine as she sat down with the older man. He learned from Mouse that Rift bragged about being invited to have lunch with Jasmine and her friend. He asked Mouse to find out more without upsetting the child. Mouse later told him that Jasmine's friend was the man named Geoffrey from the vid-call Rift spoke of when he first met her. Mouse said Rift was very excited because Jasmine wanted him to meet her at Le Bleu, and they served "the best French fries."

He opened his omni-tool and took a picture of the three of them once Rift joined them. He believed finding the image in his possession would force Jasmine's hand. Perhaps then she would make it clear why she watched him. A full week passed since he'd learned Jasmine tricked him, and still he'd learned little of value. The most notable thing being the research she did on a volus diplomat who later turned up dead, a single shot through the back of the head.

She spent little time in her apartment, with her laptop on, and most of that time she spent watching him and digging through his omni-tool's contents. Sometimes she would split her screen and open a browser to dig through websites, often returning to 'Assassins Unveiled' to browse the threads and occasionally respond. It seemed she found much of the website amusing, using sarcasm and jokes when responding. Other times she would stream vids to watch while she ate. Her extranet accounts were wiped clean, all incoming and outgoing messages deleted. She neither sent nor received any messages since he started watching. She was, compared to the vast majority of his marks, boring.

Thane smiled when Jasmine began searching the area. She did well, being discreet, but not well enough. Her eyes slid right past his location twice, but she didn't appear to see him. He considered, for a moment, stepping out of the shadows and letting her catch a glimpse. Although her reaction to seeing him would be informative, the action would be unwise. He knew next to nothing about this man, Geoffrey, or what exactly Geoffrey knew about the company he kept. Jasmine might trouble Thane, but until he understood what she wanted, he wouldn't do her the disservice of exposing her.

The boy seemed really happy with her. Thane wondered if she considered taking him in as her own. She seemed to genuinely care for the child. Perhaps then she would take his advice to heart and find a new profession to ensure Rift's safety. He had tried and failed to do the same for Irikah and their son. Irikah had died because of his failure, and now the only way he could protect his son was to never see him again. Thane rubbed at the ache in his chest, savoring the pain.

What would Rift do if Jasmine didn't take him in? The credits Thane paid him, though a meager sum to Thane, it often made the difference between whether he ate or not on any given day. Thane decided he would continue to provide for him through other means, perhaps giving the other drala'fa a stipend to care for Rift. He seemed particularly fond of the asari, Mila. She would be a good choice.

Jasmine's head tilted back with laughter. Rift's grin infectious even to Thane in his self- enforced prison of misery and solitude. Geoffrey patted Jasmine's shoulder affectionately while ruffling Rift's hair with his other hand.

Jealousy, sorrow, remorse—too much, too strong—swept over Thane, howling through his battle sleep for one breathless moment. His hands trembled, he gasped for air, the dull ache in his chest turning to a searing pain. Then, just as suddenly as it came, it disappeared, leaving an oppressive emptiness in contrast.

Thane backed deeper into the shadows before turning his back on the 'happy family' picture Jasmine painted at her table. A sudden realization whispered in the back of his mind.

Kill me or not, this woman will be the end of me.


	7. Felton of the Elnsoon Clan of Thunawanur

**Felton of the Elnsoon Clan of Thunawanuro**

Jasmine tugged at the hem of the hood hiding her face, shoving stray pieces of hair under the blue cloth and pulling it down further over her head. She sucked in a deep breath and shook her fingers at her side, trying again to chase away the knot of snakes slithering around in her stomach. They'd been wreaking havoc on her insides since the moment she opened her laptop to dig around in Thane's omni-tool and found a picture of herself with Rift and Geoffrey staring back at her.

Jasmine knew someone was watching her, and yet she agreed to stay. She should've insisted that they leave the moment she knew something was off. Maybe then she wouldn't be in this mess. She spent twenty minutes staring at the picture, trying to pin down the exact location of his hiding spot from the angle of the picture. She knew she looked right at the spot, and she couldn't believe she didn't spot him.

As if the photo wasn't enough to stop her heart, Thane took it a step further, making it clear he knew she'd been watching him. At the bottom of the picture, he'd left a message for her, " _Come see me, Shepard. You know where to find me."_

What choice did she really have? That didn't mean she needed to go in blind. She couldn't trust her laptop now, he must've backtraced the signal and could be using it to watch her. The fact it wasn't synced to her omni-tool didn't guarantee he hadn't used his own methods to tap into it as well. She'd scrub both later, the Alliance had programs she could use to wipe them clean of any espionage software while keeping her files intact. Of course that would mean she'd lose her connection to Thane, but it couldn't be helped. She didn't have time to wait for that now, though.

Jasmine opened her omni-tool and studied the blueprints for Thane's apartment complex again. The ventilation systems weren't large enough for her to access, but she could get into the maintenance shafts from any level of the complex. The fire exits were wired to an alarm system, opening them would sound an alarm. She could deactivate the alarm if she needed to, but Jasmine didn't like messing with measures put in place to protect the public unless it became necessary. One false step and she could permanently disable the alarm without realizing, putting the people who lived in the building in harm's way if a fire ever broke out.

The blueprints showed her the layout of the apartment, but it couldn't show her any precautions Thane might've taken; any traps he might've laid. Jasmine chewed on her lip, tearing at the little pieces of dried skin until she tasted blood. He'd sent her a very personalized invitation, he was expecting her. There wasn't anyway she could get into his apartment without him knowing. The front door approach would have to do. It was the smartest, safest bet. She could avoid the cameras easily enough. Still, she liked knowing her alternative escape routes.

Jasmine closed her omni-tool. She breathed in deeply, blowing it out in a rush before jogging across the way to Thane's apartment complex. She kept her head low, relying on her hood to block her face from any cameras she might miss as she made her way up to the third floor. She'd just raised her hand to knock when the door marked thirty-six slid open. Jasmine looked up, her eyes meeting Thane's.

Thane stepped aside, waving his hand out at the apartment. "Please, come in."

Jasmine crossed the threshold just far enough for the door to slide closed behind her. Subtle spice with a hint of something sweet hung in the air, unfamiliar to her nostrils. Saliva welled up in her mouth, and she swallowed it down, pushing her hood back to glance around the apartment. Inches to her right a wall, void of any pictures or other embellishments, closed off what the blueprints identified as the kitchen area. She suspected that delicious smell must be coming from in there. Jasmine spotted the door to the bathroom a few feet away on her left. Memories of watching Thane through his omni-tool as he stood shirtless, staring off into the bathroom mirror, threatened to bring a blush to her cheeks.

Jasmine moved on, her gaze roaming over the foyer. On the same wall, just past the bathroom would be his bedroom, where Jasmine knew Thane spent hours every morning exercising before losing himself to his most intimate memories. The heat crept up Jasmine's neck, making its way closer to her face until she turned her eyes to the living area across from the front door and forced herself to focus on why she was there.

Thane waited, his hand still held out encouraging her to continue further into the apartment. The entryway wasn't very wide, one point five two meters according to the blueprints, meaning she'd have to pass very close to Thane: close enough for him to reach out and snap her neck without having to take a step closer to her. The hair on the back of Jasmine's neck stood on end, her feet telling her to turn around and go the other way. Instead, Jasmine put one foot in front of the other and brushed past him, stepping down the two stairs separating the entryway from the living room.

Jasmine spun around next to the coffee table, crossing her arms lightly over her chest, hoping to hide her unsteady breathing. "Nice place. Very … neat."

"It serves it's purpose." Thane stopped at the top of the stairs and tucked his hands behind his back. "Have a seat, make yourself comfortable."

"I think I'll stand for now, thanks." Jasmine felt the muscles along her jaw flutter when Thane took a step down. She thought he must've seen it as well when he hesitated before taking the next step. She was on his turf, his advantage. She was uncomfortable, and they both knew it.

"Very well." Thane moved past her and into the kitchen, only a small portion within Jasmine's line of sight. "Would you care for some tea? I just put it on before you arrived; it's best fresh."

Jasmine watched as he lifted the lid off of a small pot on the stove, the scent in the air thickening, taunting her tastebuds once more. He moved away from the stove and out of her sight. Her heart skipping a beat before picking up where it left off at double speed, Jasmine crossed the floor on light feet, careful not to let her heels scrape across the carpet. She peered around the edge of the wall. Thane stood at a cupboard, pulling down a tray to set on the counter in front of him.

A thin, reedy breath slipped between her lips. "Why am I here, Krios?" Jasmine moved to fill the doorway.

 _Christ, he's really just making tea._

Thane looked up at her, the light of the room shining through the dark outer layer of his eyes, showing her the brilliant green irises hidden beneath. His lips parted, and she thought she saw something dance across the surface of those green pools before he turned his attention back to the cabinet. He brought down an asari style teapot, black ceramic with gold inlay of flowers and mountains.

He settled it on the tray with careful, sure fingers. "To talk … peacefully, I hope." He picked up two matching tea cups, glancing back at her before setting one down on the tray. He held the other by the base, perched on his fingertips in front of him like an offering, this time holding her gaze. "Though you certainly might've come to try and kill me."

 _You're the one that lured me here with a picture of my fam—with a picture of the people I care about. What's your game, Krios? I didn't think you'd bring the kid into this, not like this. Not as a threat. But you just want to talk? Peacefully?_

"To talk?" Jasmine nodded her head at the teacup, the churning in her stomach persisting.

Thane sat the cup down on the tray, turning it so the handle faced outward, at the exact angle as the first, before adding two saucers. "Indeed." He picked the tray up and moved it over to the stove. Jasmine watched his measured movements with narrowed eyes. Thane always moved with careful precision, and his love of all things orderly wasn't lost on her but she couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. His movements seemed too careful, too orderly, and it made Jasmine's hackles rise.

She mulled it over in her mind while watching Thane open the teapot and pour the steaming, beige liquid inside. Seeing loose leaves left behind in the bottom of the pot as he settled it back to the stovetop brought a twitch to Jasmine's eyebrows. She made tea by throwing a bag in a coffee mug filled with water and sticking it in the microwave for three minutes, but _of course_ he would have loose leaf tea and a full, proper tea set. She moved aside, keeping distance between them, when he picked up the tray and walked toward her. There it was, the hint she'd been looking for in the slight twitch of his fingers, tightening on the handles of the tray as he passed her.

 _Tense? Nervous? Christ, he_ is _expecting me to attack! And here I was thinking all this nicety was a ruse on his part, and I was the one walking into a trap._

Thane carried the tray into the living room, settling it on the coffee table. His muscles coiled beneath the brown leather of his jacket as he turned back to Jasmine, tucking his hands behind his back once more. Jasmine lingered by the kitchen door, glancing at the single couch that, aside from the chair at the desk in the corner, marked the only place to sit. There would be plenty of space between them if they both sat on the couch, but she'd feel much better facing him dead on with something solid between them. And judging by the vibes she was picking up from him, so would he.

He followed her gaze to the couch, and as if able to read her mind with that single look, he moved to the desk, bringing the chair back with him to the opposite side of the coffee table. Jasmine let out a slow, steadying breath and started moving to the couch. He sat down in the desk chair and began filling the cups. She perched on the edge at the center of the couch and pushed up her sleeves, flexing her hands to still their trembling.

"Most don't find the Citadel to be cold, shall I adjust the thermostat for you?" His eyes flickered to hers as he sat a cup down on a saucer in front of her.

Jasmine snorted softly and shook her head. "I'm not cold, but thanks for asking." She picked up the saucer, balancing it on her palm as she watched the creamy liquid ripple from the movement. "I'm guessing you play the good host with all your guests and not just those you're blackmailing with pictures," Jasmine said, seizing control of the conversation before he could lead her astray.

She'd played this charade before, danced this dance with targets and other assassins alike, including Leon. The only way to win was to stay on top, control the flow, and he seemed off kilter enough that they just might both survive the conversation. She didn't know what exactly had him rattled, but whatever it was, she appreciated the edge it gave her.

Thane chuckled, humorless and hollow as he picked up his own saucer and leaned back in the chair. "I don't have guests, but I was taught to comport myself in a certain way." He took a sip of his tea, watching Jasmine over the rim of his cup.

Jasmine lifted the cup to her lips, the spicy scent reminding her of cinnamon and cayenne, earthy undertones of cumin and nutmeg overwhelming her senses. "No guests? Ever?" She tipped the cup, carefully testing the the temperature of the tea against her lips before letting it fill her mouth. Jasmine's eyebrows shot up of their own accord, a moan of pleasure vibrating her throat as the creamy, bittersweet liquid slid over her tongue. She cleared her throat and looked away from Thane's pleased smile, telling herself it was nothing more than a part of the charade.

"I'm glad you like it." He took another drink himself before setting his cup back on the saucer. "It's made from the few plants from the drell homeworld we were able to successfully grow on Kahje. Though, I'm told the foreign soil altered their taste." Thane leaned forward, setting the saucer back on the table. "To answer your question: no, I never have guests. Not since—" Pain flashed clear and bright in his eyes, taking Jasmine by surprise and leaving her momentarily breathless. "Not for a few years, now."

She pushed away the urge to reach out to him, put her hand on his shoulder and ask what was wrong. Jasmine chastised herself for falling so easily for what was probably a calculated movement, meant to unbalance her. She pulled up the wrought iron cloak of cynical humor that kept her alive over the years, wrapping it around her heart. "Well, don't I feel special?" A wry smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. "Now if you tell me that you reserved blackmail just for me, too, I'll think it's my lucky day. Let me guess, you want to trade the picture for my word that I'll leave the Citadel?"

Thane smirked and folded his hands across his abdomen, his elbows resting on the arms of the chair. "The thought occurred to me, but I somehow doubt it would be that easy to get you to leave. I'm more interested in learning why it is that you've been watching me."

 _Seriously? I mean, I guess that makes sense but I thought … well hell, if you're going to make this easy for me … ._

Jasmine's stomach stopped churning while muscles in her shoulders, she didn't even realize were tight, started to relax. Jasmine brought her cup to her lips again, buying herself time while she regained her equilibrium. She watched Thane over the rim, blowing gently at the steam before taking a sip and licking her lips.

"Why'd you break into my apartment and dig through my things?" Jasmine sat her cup down on the saucer before settling it to her knees.

"To learn more about you, and to convince you to leave." Thane raised a brow ridge, telling her he thought the answer obvious enough.

"You mean to attempt to intimidate me, to bully me into leaving." Jasmine took a sip of tea, watching him over the top of the cup. "You wanted me afraid of you when your attempts to diminish my self-image didn't do the trick."

"Clearly I failed, though my motives were hardly as nefarious as you're convinced." Thane retrieved his own cup, pausing to take a drink before setting it down again. "My social skills are ... limited. Perhaps next time I'll attempt a bribe instead."

 _Limited my ass._

Jasmine scoffed. "I might've shot you for that." She held a hand up, allowing herself a roll of her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, I know. I could've _tried_."

"Are all humans so … obstinate?" Thane raised his brow again.

 _Was that a genuine slip there, Krios? Have you really not interacted with enough humans to know … or are you just trying to bait me?_

Jasmine raised her own eyebrow in response. "Are all drell so arrogant?"

"I'm not arrogant, Shepard. I'm objective." Thane steepled his fingers, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. "I hold no delusions of perfection, but neither am I blind to the areas in which I excel … few as they are." He studied her for a moment in silence. "Why have you been watching me? Has the Alliance sent you to kill me?"

 _Oh. Oh that's good. Still, best to disabuse him of that notion. God only knows what it might encourage him to do if he seriously thinks the Alliance is after him._

Jasmine moved her tea to the table and leaned forward, mimicking his posture. "I've no intention of killing you, Krios." She willed every ounce of truth she could muster into her voice, unflinchingly holding his gaze. "And as far as I'm aware, neither does the Alliance." Jasmine paused, allowing her words sink in, continuing only when she saw the hint of confusion in his eyes. "You insulted and challenged me, Krios. I'm just trying to figure out why you think you're so much better than me."

He broke the staredown, his gaze moving from her eyes to roam over the rest of her face before frowning. "I never challenged you. I've only tried to discourage you from this path, and it wasn't my intention to insult you. You're new at this still, I've spent most of my life doing this. It's only natural our work be incomparable."

Jasmine cocked her head to the side, her scoff little more than a puff of air forced from her nose as the muscles along her jaw flexed. "Do you really not hear how pompous you sound? See, I take statements like that as a challenge. I think it would leave most people feeling like they need to prove themselves."

Thane blinked a couple of times before picking up his cup and leaning back in the chair. The tense silence wore on, making Jasmine's skin crawl, invisible ants forging a trail down her spine. She sat upright, fighting the urge to roll her shoulders and chase the feeling away, focusing the pent up energy on finishing her tea instead. Setting the empty cup down, she watched him process. When he finally looked away from her, she thought she saw his shoulders sag, whether in relief or defeat she couldn't be sure. Thane drained his cup and picked up the teapot, letting it hover over Jasmine's cup, ready to pour.

"Yes, thank you." Jasmine nodded absently.

"I want to be sure I understand." Thane dipped his head, refilling both cups. His voice dropped an octave lower than before, the gravelly quality accentuated when he spoke. Something about it called to Jasmine, pleaded with her to let the dance end and help him make sense of her motives."The Alliance has nothing to do with this? You're not watching me on official orders, and it's not your intention to kill me?" Thane wrapped his hands around the cup, foregoing the handle and rested his elbows on his knees. The simple lapse in etiquette chipped away another layer of the appearance of constant composure, leaving Jasmine to swallow down her own doubts as they began to rise up in a thick knot.

 _No, I'm not wrong. He's playing me, that's it._

"Correct." Jasmine nodded.

"Instead, you've taken offense to things I've said and see that as a reason to prove yourself." Thane paused, and Jasmine nodded again. "To me?"

Jasmine scoffed, fighting the frown tugging at her lips. "No, not to _you_."

"Then who?" Thane lifted a finger from the mug to point at her. "Yourself?"

Jasmine shrugged. "Let's just say the galaxy."

"Very well." Thane smirked, his voice relaxing back to his usual soft whisper of sandpaper smoothing down wood. "And you've come to the conclusion that the best way to do this is to spy on me?"

Jasmine lifted her cup to her lips, savoring the smell and taste before answering, "It was a start."

"A start?" Thane quirked his brow in question.

"Indeed." Using the term she heard from him so often made her grin. "I'm a little surprised, Krios. I expected you to laugh and give me some smug remark, add a little more fuel to the fire."

"I—I'm afraid I'm not seeing the humor in all of this." Thane stared at the mug in his hands. "I don't suppose you can be dissuaded from this course of action?"

"Unlikely. I'm obstinate, remember?" Jasmine showed him her teeth in a smile that felt more aggressive than filled with humor.

Thane let out a weary sigh and settled his dishes back on the tray. Jasmine did the same with hers after draining the cup once more, greedy for every last drop. Thane opened his omni-tool while Jasmine stood, pulling her sleeves back down and flipping her hood back over her head. "Thanks for the tea. What's it called? I think I might look for some."

" _Cinuela_ , but it's unlikely you'll find it anywhere on the Citadel." Thane stood, showing her the picture before erasing it. "I've made no copies, I assure you."

 _Cinuela … why does that sound familiar?_

Jasmine paused, fingers hanging from the hem of her hood. She looked up from the omni-tool to meet Thane's eyes and swallowed. She hadn't expected him to be the one to address the issue, let alone delete the picture without her insistence. "You'll keep them out of this?"

"It was never my intention to harm them. I—I just needed insurance, to get you here to talk." Thane focused his attention on the omni-tool. Jasmine expected him to ask her stop using it to watch him but the request never came. "I'll keep them out of this."

"I have your word?" Promises were another one of those symbols that helped Jasmine navigate life. For a lot of people, a promise could be uttered without more than a passing thought and broken just as easily. Not for her though. She never made a promise she didn't intend to keep, and she never let a broken promise slide. It had meaning, it carried weight, even if only to a rare few. Thane spoke the language, she had to believe he understood. She had to believe he was a man of his word, else she was playing a game far more dangerous than she could come to terms with.

Jasmine's mask slipped a fraction as he studied her face. Thane dipped his head again. "You have my word, Shepard."

"Thank you." Jasmine made her way to the door, conscious of his presence a few feet behind her the entire way. The conversation weighing heavy on her, she pulled at that cynical humor, wrapping it back around her a shield against the doubt and softening emotions threatening to undo her. "Hey, if you ever do decide to try and bribe me, the _cinuela_ is a good place to start. And maybe some chocolate." Jasmine stopped in front of the door to turn back to him, pulling an easy smile to her face. "It won't work, but at least I won't _try_ to shoot you."

Thane chuckled, but Jasmine thought she detected a melancholy undertone. "I'll keep that in mind. Goodnight, Shepard."

Jasmine pushed stray hairs under the hood and tugged it in place, watching his eyes from beneath her cowl and trying to decipher his thoughts. Whatever was going on inside that green head of his, it remained an enigma to her. "Goodnight, Krios."

* * *

Thane stood staring at the door after Jasmine left for long minutes, confusion and curiosity warring with alarm and concern for the woman's state of mind. The emotions pulling taut the skin beneath his scales and tickling the base of his skull. Finally, he locked it and returned to the living room, gathering up the dishes and taking them to the kitchen. He hoped the simple routine of washing up might bring him some clarity, but the only sense he could make of Jasmine and her indefinite intrusion into his life was that it must be the will of the gods. Once the dishes were cleaned and put away, he found himself staring at the empty couch where she'd sat. Her citrus scent still lingered, mixed with the spice of _cinuela_. Her words, proclaiming her intent sounding like a twisted mockery of a vendetta, echoed in his mind as he rubbed at the dull ache in his chest.

 _The gods have decided I need to be further humbled. They sent Irikah to save me, and then I failed to save her. Now, they've sent Shepard to punish me. She's dragging me from my battle sleep. Why? Am I to be forced to feel the pain of my loss, the regret of my folly, unchecked at the whim of my tattered soul?_

 _So be it. Perhaps I'll be able to help her learn from my mistakes. Perhaps this isn't punishment, but a chance at redemption._

Thane's omni-tool pinged, alerting him to a new message. He moved his desk chair back where it belonged before taking the seat Jasmine vacated on the couch. He opened his omni-tool and smiled, expecting it to be a message from Jasmine, some further mystery for him to unravel—questioning why it should bring a smile to his face at all. His smile faded when he saw the name attached to the extranet address, Beleno, one of the monikers used by his old hanar handler.

" _This one hopes this message finds you well."_ Thane frowned, Beleno was one of the very few hanar of which he established a close enough relationship to learn the hanar's soul name. Beleno dropped the formalities with Thane many years ago, but here he referred to himself as 'this one' once more. " _This one knows you have long since left the Compact, but this one hopes a request might be made of you. This one believes if you read the attached dossier, you will understand why this one finds the matter so pressing as to request your aid. It would please this one greatly to hear from you either way, to know you are well."_

Thane downloaded the dossier and opened it the second it finished. What he found there battered against the already crumbling walls Jasmine left in her wake. Righteous anger swept through him in a crashing wave, threatening to wash away the last of his battle sleep. Fingers unsteady, he scrolled down, taking in every last minute detail he could about the elcor, Felton of the Elnsoon Clan of Thunawanuro. Focusing on the task at hand, the tide receded, leaving him raw but composed.

To all external appearances, Felton was a respectable businessman, well known on the Citadel for his stock share trading company. The Illuminated Primacy pinned him down as being the head of one of the biggest traders in hanar slaves, even going so far as to gather evidence. Thane looked over the clearly covertly taken pictures of hanar, their appendages shackled together to keep them from defending themselves or escaping. Packed in so tight, Thane's eyes couldn't tell one's distressed bioluminescence from the next. Dirty, dehydrated, and emaciated, the hanar looked near death.

Thane looked over the blueprints, the areas the hanar were being held already marked for him, along with the security measures Felton had in place. Beleno was certainly right, Thane understood why they would seek him out for this. It would take great skill to get inside unseen, and killing an elcor was no easy task. Killing five of them would prove difficult even for him, especially with the unspoken request that he rescue the slaves.

Thane closed the dossier; having committed everything to memory he wouldn't need it again. His fingers hovered over the document's icon, ready to delete it from his omni-tool along with the message. He always deleted every message and dossier right away, so why the hesitation now?

 _Shepard._

Thane blinked, his eyes losing focus as Jasmine's image filled his vision. He pushed it aside, shaking his head, knowing she could establish the link to his omni-tool at any moment, and he didn't want her seeing him recount his innermost thoughts of their encounter. Thane swallowed, choking down his confusion.

 _She wishes to know more about me. The gods seem to will it, who am I to argue?_

Thane dropped his hand, leaving the dossier's icon there to stare back at him defiantly. Slowly, he closed his omni-tool and stood from the couch. Trepidation edged in around his consciousness, the muscles of his shoulders, back, and chest tightening in response.

 _She will be the death of me, but I am ready._

* * *

Thane lay in the darkness, sleep evading him. Images of Irikah throwing herself in front of his target, her eyes searching him out in defiance, danced in front of his eyes one moment only to be replaced with Jasmine, starring at him with fire in her eyes, his pistol ignored as she persisted to push for a negotiation on Rift's behalf. Thane rolled to his side, the soft caress of the sheet against his bare scales pulling new memories of Irikah from him. He could see her there, crystal clear inches away, but he was not so far lost to the memory that he didn't know that if he reached out his hand he would feel only the cold, empty sheets.

 _I don't know what to do, help me, siha._

The mirage only smiled at him with her breathtaking beauty, portraying warmth and compassion in her eyes before reaching out her hand to ghost over his face. Thane squeezed his eyes closed, letting his flesh remember the warmth of her tender touch as his throat ached, threatening to release the sob he held back.

The warmth faded and with it he let the memory go, rolling to his other side. He should have talked to Jasmine more, asked more questions, regardless of how rude he might have sounded. She thought him arrogant anyway, taking slight in everything he said. Maybe there was some answer there just waiting for him to ask the right question and then it would all make sense. The urge to leave his bed and make his way to Jasmine's apartment nearly had him throwing back the sheets when his omni-tool vibrated against his wrist.

* * *

Jasmine opened her laptop and immediately Thane's live feed popped up on her screen, showing her nothing but darkness. A moment later, a light came on and she caught a glimpse of his bedroom before his face and bare chest came into view. Her interest piqued; she'd half expected the connection to already be cut by the time she made it home, but instead there he was actively engaging her over the link. Though, really, he could put a shirt on first.

Thane smirked, giving the camera a slight shake of his head before disappearing from sight, filling the screen with shaking images of his room as he moved from the bed. Jasmine grinned and started digging through his omni-tool one last time, the thrill of the hunt coursing through her veins, high on the victory of getting out of Thane's apartment unscathed. Chances were, he'd cut the feed at any moment, if not, she'd do it herself but she wanted to grab whatever she could first. She wondered briefly how he was able to determine that she was watching in that moment, but pushed the thought aside when she saw his desk come into view, his hand reaching out to open his laptop. She saw nothing but his ceiling as the soft clacking of keys being pressed filtered through her speakers.

He had a new message with a dossier. She pursued her lips, he'd clearly already read the message and downloaded the dossier but both remained on his omni-tool. He'd left them there for her to find.

 _Are you screwing with me? Trying to make things easier for the poor new girl?_

Jasmine narrowed her eyes at the message taunting her before downloading it anyway. Either it was there to trip her up or it wasn't, she'd figure it out later. Surely he'd block her access any minute, she didn't have time to dawdle. Jasmine opened a program on her laptop designed to retrieve deleted data and set it to run on Thane's omni-tool, hoping to ferret out any deleted messages or files. It would take a few minutes, and would only work if he hadn't taken the extra precaution of clearing the cache but it was worth a shot.

Jasmine glanced back at the live feed in time to see her own face appear on his laptop. He was watching her, he knew exactly what she was doing, and he wasn't stopping her. She cocked her head to the side, but the image of her didn't repeat the gesture.

Jasmine looked at the camera. "You added a delay. Clever. Has it served you well?"

"Perhaps if you tell me what you're looking for, I can help you find it." His feed shifted, showing Jasmine his face as if she were below him looking up.

"Nude photos." Jasmine deadpanned, turning her attention back to the little progress bar slowly filling up the box on her screen. Maybe she could keep him talking long enough to let the program finish. "I figure I can use them to bribe my contact on _Assassins Unveiled_ since he mysteriously stops responding to my messages anytime the topic shifts to you."

 _Maybe he'll actually send me some. Christ. No, Jasmine. Just no._

Thane's strangled wheeze startled her, pulling her eyes back to the live feed. He held a fist to his mouth and cleared his throat. Jasmine laughed. "Don't go dying on me, Krios. It's a joke. You're supposed to laugh, not choke on it. But hey, it's good to know something gets under your skin."

Thane glanced at the omni-tool, giving her a wry grin. "Indeed."

"Just doing one last sweep before I shut this thing down." Jasmine raised her eyebrow. "The better question is, why are you letting me do it?"

"Perhaps I want to see what it is you have to prove." He tilted his head to the side. "Perhaps it helps me to understand you."

"Am I that confusing?" Jasmine raised her eyebrow. She didn't know whether to be pleased or worried that he was taking a more direct interest in her, but surely it was no surprise considering everything she'd said and done.

"Indeed." Thane turned his attention back to his laptop screen, watching her as she waited. "I don't understand, I thought you wished to observe me. Why would you remove the connection?"

"Come on, Krios. It defeats the purpose if you hand it to me on a silver platter. Besides, where's the fun in that?"

"This is fun for you?" The incredulity in his voice grated across her skin like road rash, leaving her raw and defensive.

Jasmine schooled her expression, plastering a smile on her face instead of clenching her jaw. "Sure. You didn't have fun digging through my stuff?"

"Not at all, the state of your apartment is alarming." Thane lifted the corner of his mouth, his eyes nothing but unreadable black orbs from the current angle.

Jasmine snorted, more than a little amused that he was picking up her sense of humor and throwing it back at her. "That's because you're an obsessive neat freak. I tell you what, the next time you decide to break in, feel free to clean it up for me."

"If I'm not mistaken, _that_ was an insult." Thane's soft chuckle barely registered through her speakers."I take no offense."

The bar finished filling on her screen, and Jasmine closed the program. She'd look later to see what files, if any, she retrieved. She opened another program, ready to scrub her system. It would take a couple of hours to run, but would cut the link to Thane first. Jasmine started the program and looked back at the camera. "That's too bad, I might've won myself a free housekeeper if you had. Program's running, it'll cut us off soon." Jasmine grinned, leaning forward to rest her elbow on the desk so she could prop up her chin and watch Thane. "Still have time to send me those nude photos."

Thane smiled, looking directly into his omni-tool's camera. "I'm afraid I don't own a silver platter."

Jasmine tilted her head back in laughter, glancing back to the screen just in time to see Thane's look of genuine amusement before the connection cut out, and he disappeared along with the window showing her his omni-tool. Her laughter died out, the smile fading from her face only to be replaced with the sudden, irritating feeling of loneliness.


	8. Quin'Nal vas Usela

**A/N:** This chapter in particular has a few scenes that some people might find upsetting. Warnings for graphic violence, cruelty, and xenophobia. Additionally, I've been meaning to mention that if you are interested in 'Targeted Interference' and the idea of the website 'Assassins Unveiled', then you might be interested to check out the reader-interactive mock forum I have on Archive of Our Own (AO3) entitled 'Assassins Unveiled'. You can search for it by name, or look for me, MosaicCreme, on AO3. Thanks for reading!

 **Quin'Nal vas Usela**

Jasmine watched Thane from the shadows. So far, he hadn't noticed her. Or at least she didn't think he did. She'd spent the last two days watching his apartment and Felton's estate through C-Sec's surveillance feeds. One of the problems with big, high-tech places like the Citadel: there were cameras everywhere, they were unavoidable. She felt nothing but gratitude for them now.

She memorized the blueprints, and everything she could from the dossier. While reading about the horrors the dossier held, she felt fine. As soon as she began looking at the photos of the shackled, neglected, and abused hanar, her heart dropped into the pit of her stomach. Jasmine rushed to the bathroom, purging herself of her dinner and cursing herself for the weakness. She brushed her teeth and splashed water on her face before deciding to take a shower to calm her nerves. Afterward, she returned to the pictures and forced herself to look them all. Again, and again, and again until she stopped shaking. She'd read the dossier a second time and shook her head, trying to clear the fog of bewilderment settling in around her thoughts.

 _Five elcor. Krios is going to take on five elcor. Alone. It's suicide, even for him._

She didn't know exactly when she made the decision, but sometime before the Citadel cycled back to day, she'd made up her mind. No way she'd let him go in there alone. It didn't matter if the Alliance put her on this one or not. She didn't think they'd condemn her for interfering with something so clearly against what the Alliance stood for. Not that she had any intention of ever letting them find out.

She considered going to Thane and insisting he let her help, but that pill tasted a little too bitter to swallow. The thought of him laughing in her face didn't help at all. So instead, she studied and watched, treating Felton just like any other target. Whoever Beleno was to Thane, he'd done a fantastic job with the dossier leaving her with little to question or research on her own. It even gave her Felton's schedule down to the minute, not that she didn't verify it regardless.

The time to change her mind behind her now, she turned her attention back to the task at hand. Thane stood on the catwalks overlooking Felton's estates. Jasmine saw it in the intensity of his focus: he'd come to make his move. She'd wait for him go in first.

 _I might die in there. We both might. Christ why am I doing this?_

Thane's name came to her mind, and she shoved it away, sickened and yet relieved when the images of the shackled hanar readily took his place. She wasn't doing it for him, or because of him. She chose to go in there for the hanar. They were the only reason that mattered. They must be, or she couldn't do this. She focused her attention back on Thane.

The moment the lights dimmed in the front of the estate, he disappeared. While studying the blueprints, she determined he'd most likely enter through the kitchen. It made the most sense; it'd get him closest to the study where Felton would be this time of night and allow him to bypass most of the guards for the time being.

Jasmine planned to go in through the skylight. It let out just above a grand staircase—designed for elcor and bipedal races alike—giving her immediate access to the rafters where she'd find a perch. If she got lucky, she'd take out the guards patrolling by the front door. If things went south, well then at least she'd draw their attention to the front of the house, giving Thane time to get to his prime target and the slaves. She counted out sixty seconds, giving Thane a chance to get into place before she crouched low and ran around the side of the estate.

Jasmine loved the Presidium, in their false sense of security they made things far too easy for people like her. She scaled a tree, allowed to grow too close to the building to be wise, and tiptoed across the branch before leaping to the roof. She landed in a low crouch, her ears and eyes straining for any indication she'd been spotted. Her pulse pounded loudly, washing out the quieter sounds around her. Her fingers trembled as they pressed into the rooftop. She hated the uncertainty, yet couldn't deny the high it gave her. Dumping more adrenaline into her system, she could feel it course through her veins.

Jasmine scurried to the skylight, staying back far enough to peer in without risking being seen. She couldn't see anyone from her angle, but to be safe she moved to the other side, checking the staircase and floor below for elcor. Finding none, Jasmine slid one of her knives free from the sheath wrapped around her thigh and slid it between the roof and window. As carefully as she could, she worked the knife sideways until she reached the latch and popped it loose.

Looking over the edge again, she found nothing changed. Lifting the skylight just enough to slip her knife soundlessly free, she tucked her knife back into the sheath. Jasmine took a deep breath, letting it out with a prayer that the hinges didn't creak. She lifted the skylight, moving inch by inch along until she locked the hinges in place. She crouched back down, listening and looking around beneath her.

Jasmine laid flat on her stomach, her fingers gripping the metal frame and lowered her head inside, looking around. Certain her way was clear, and with her destination firmly in sight, she lowered her torso down through the hole. She used her feet to brace herself until she flipped her hands around on the sill, letting her body drop through the opening the rest of the way.

Kicking her legs out and up, she looped them around the nearest metal beam and wove her feet through the smaller, decorative poles attached to the rafter. Next came the hard part: convincing her hands to let go. She refused to look at the marble stairs beneath her and took another breath. Tightening her core muscles to help fight gravity, Jasmine let go first with one hand and then the other.

Her stomach and thighs burned as she curled her body up against the force pulling her down. She bit back a groan, pushing herself until her fingers brushed metal. Jasmine fumbled, trying to get a good grip, terrified she'd fall and crush her body on the stairs below. She squeezed her stomach muscles tighter, flexing her calves to help give her leverage and pushed up again. She nearly cried out in relief when she got the grip she needed.

She wanted to take a few seconds to let the burn fade and to calm her breathing, but it would've been too risky and she didn't have time. Instead, she pulled herself upright onto the rafters and readied her sniper rifle.

 _Thank God I used scent masking soap._

Jasmine frowned, pushing the fleeting thought away and crept forward, out over the entry hall.

* * *

Thane moved through the dim kitchen, relieved to see the asari and human staff Felton employed had indeed left the kitchen for the evening. Reaching the door leading to the staff hall, he pressed his back against the wall. He listened and watched, counting the beats of his heart. There, the first guard as expected. He waited, counting the shallow rise and fall of his chest. There, the second guard right on time.

Thane waited until the lumbering elcor turned his back and then slipped into the hall, moving on silent feet in the opposite direction. He stepped into a room; staff quarters according to the blue prints. A human male sat in a chair facing a vidscreen, his back to the door. The noise of the vid loud enough to cover even the biggest blunder Thane could ever make. He counted, waiting until he was certain the guards passed again and left the room, sparing a fraction of a second to glance back down the hall from where he came. He spotted three cameras in the section of the hall, but they wouldn't be recording him that night. He'd made sure of it, but as always, he'd still avoid them.

Counting his breathing, he moved down the hall stepping into another room before the next guard came. The office stood empty, dark save for the light trickling in through the window. Timing exact, he moved back into the hall and walked to the end. Peering around the corner where the staff hall opened up into a main hall, Thane crossed to another door and stepped inside.

Dark as the nights on Kahje, he gave his eyes a moment to adjust before climbing on a desk. Reaching above him to slide away a ceiling panel, he pulled himself up into the crawlspace. He shifted the panel back into place before crossing the divider between rooms.

Thane closed his eyes, mentally searching the blueprint before choosing a panel he believed would allow him to drop into the room behind Felton's desk. He eased up the panel, moving it just enough to glimpse the elcor. Indeed, Felton stood in front of his desk, his back to Thane. He'd have to be swift, and precise. Elcor were slow, but they had an exceptional sense of smell, and brutal strength. A little known fact, but an elcor could easily crush a krogan's skull beyond their regenerative capabilities—if provoked into violent action and given the chance to land such a blow. He knew the moment he moved the panel out of the way, Felton would pick up the residual odors no drell could completely wash away.

His prayers to Amonkira already spoken, his fate already entrusted to the hands of the gods, Thane moved the panel and dropped to the floor, drawing his dagger as he fell. He heard a gunshot from somewhere at the front of the estate. Felton began the slow turn to face Thane, yet unable to even form a startled vocalization. Thane pulled his biotic energy around himself, focusing it down on his hand before unleashing it in a Warp on the elcor. It didn't have as much effect as it would on someone smaller, but it bought him the time to take the four steps forward and plunge his knife through Felton's thick hide and into his heart. A second gunshot echoed down the hall, heralding the panicked screams of human and asari, disturbing the beauty of the silence he worked so hard to maintain.

 _Shepard?_

Thane twisted the blade, but he knew it wouldn't be enough. Ripping the blade free, he moved as fast as he could, as fast as if his very life depended on it—and indeed it did—stabbing the dagger back through thick hide with all of his strength. The first bellow of rage and agony tore through Felton's flared lips. Joined, a heartbeat later, by the same grating sounds coming from elsewhere in the estate.

The elcor tried to retreat, tried to put distance between himself and Thane. He knew it'd be the last mistake he'd ever make; if he gave Felton distance, the elcor would rear back and crush him. Instead, he pushed forward, keeping himself as close as possible to Felton and continued his assault. The sound of a third shot rattled his skull, but he continued. There could be no turning back. Blood soaked his hand, threatening his grip on the hilt when finally the elcor swayed, losing his footing and crashed to the floor.

* * *

The first elcor laid in a rapidly growing pool of his own blood. His eyes stared up at the rafters, searching her out with the last vestiges of consciousness. Jasmine swallowed against the knot in her throat. She hated slow deaths; hated them with a passion, but she'd never heard of a quick way to kill an elcor without a rocket launcher or high grade explosives. She hated it even more when a dying target held her gaze, so she refused to meet his eyes when they found her.

Jasmine swallowed again, putting her eye back to the scope and tracked her second target. Ignoring the elcor's death rattle, she locked on to the corner of the wall she knew the other elcor hid.

"Respectfully: Human, you don't need to do this. Eager: I can pay you whatever you ask." The elcor's voice barely reached Jasmine's perch.

Jasmine snorted softly, keeping her eye to the scope and her finger hovering over the trigger, waiting for the elcor to show himself. "How much are you offering?"

"Hopeful: I can transfer a sum of five million credits to your account immediately, human." The elcor wisely stayed behind the corner of the wall.

Jasmine sighed, she wasn't going to get him out in the open; she needed to move. "That might buy your freedom, but what about the others?" She stood slowly keeping her eye on the corner as she made her way over the rafters, moving as quietly as possible. She wanted him talking, because as long as he talked, he wouldn't be listening for her movements.

"Regretfully: I can only buy my own freedom. Optimistically: I am sure others would be willing to negotiate for their own lives." The elcor shifted just enough she could've hit him from her previous location though, it likely wouldn't have done much more than knick his hide and send him back into cover.

She settled down onto the beam, eyeing the elcor across the way, his head still turned toward her last location listening for her response. Jasmine pulled her sniper rifle up and pressed her eye to the scope, lining up her shot. "What about those hanar in the basement? What are their lives worth?"

The elcor's head started to turn to the sound of her voice. Jasmine waited until he nearly looked right at her and squeezed the trigger. The bullet struck him between the eyes, ripping through hide, fat, muscle, and bone before entering his cranial cavity. A perfect kill shot on just about anyone else, but miraculously little more than a stunning blow to an elcor.

The elcor stumbled back, swaying on his feet as Jasmine readied the next shot. Her heart pounding against her rib cage as she watched the wounded elcor flounder. He turned, preparing to flee as she leveled her crosshairs and pulled the trigger again, catching him in his throat. Blood, thick and red spurted from his neck, splattering to the floor beneath his feet. He gasped for air, stumbling again. His hind leg came down in the pool of blood, sending his thick legs slipping and sprawling.

Breaking bone cracked the silence as his weight collapsed, falling down on one leg at just the wrong angle. She loaded another shot, moving her sniper rifle to accommodate his new location. Settling her crosshairs on the exposed underbelly, she let off another round to rip through the softer tissue and embed itself in the elcor's heart. Finally, blessedly, he stopped moving.

* * *

Watching the light slip out of the elcor's eyes stirred up memories Jasmine couldn't fight as she made her way down from the rafters. The first time a target stared into her eyes, as they waited for death to claim them, left a scar that never healed. That night may have been the biggest driving force behind her dedication to becoming a proficient sniper.

From her perch, her targets rarely if ever saw her before they died. As a sniper, her targets rarely died suffering. Not Quin'Nal vas Usela, though. Nal died so, so slow. Humans, being the newest species to enter galactic civilization drew the curiosity of all the races; quarians being no exception. The quarian chose Earth, and settled in among the humans to start her Pilgrimage.

She should've been shown the best humanity had to offer, but instead the people of Earth left her on her own to find the worst. Nal made her way to Beijing, where she got swept up in the city's boom of drug trafficking and politi-corporate corruption. It brought out the darkness in her, and after two years Nal managed to work her way to the top, using her superior tech skills and understanding of galactic politics to make millions of credits. She was, for a short time, quite possibly one of the most powerful quarians in existence.

The Alliance tried to convince Nal to leave Earth; everything short of begging and ordering, but she refused. Fearful of a war breaking out with a species they still didn't completely understand, and so soon on the heels of the First Contact War, the Alliance opted to deal with her through other means. The order came down to Jasmine to make it look as if the quarian had been in the wrong place at the wrong time. A mugging gone wrong, or gang violence would do. They were the standard for that area.

Leon took her to Beijing and set her up in a nearby hotel. He stood by her while she stalked the quarian, judged her methods, taught her new tactics, all the while molding her into something useful to the Alliance. He watched from the shadows when she made her move, approaching the quarian at twilight. Jasmine waited for Nal to pass through the park on her way to the skycar parking garage. Jasmine hesitated, glancing over her shoulder at Leon, seeking out his encouragement from the shadows. If he saw her need, he gave her no indication.

Jasmine approached her target head on, smiling and nodding to the quarian as she passed her by. She waited until the quarian completely turned her back before attacking from behind, hitting her over the head with the butt of her pistol. She fell to the sidewalk, her mask shattering against the concrete, driving shards of her visor into her face. Her beautiful, angelic face, with eyes reflecting the dwindling light of the setting sun back at Jasmine, their eyes locked on to one another. Nal coughed and gasped, choking on her own blood. A trillion germs already attacking her fragile immune system. Nothing could be done, it was too late for Jasmine to change her mind.

Shaking, she lifted her omni-tool and took the still dying woman's picture. Tears welled up in Jasmine's eyes, spilling down her face when the woman tried to beg for mercy. Jasmine squatted next to her, shoving her grasping hand away and flipped the quarian on her back to rifle through her pockets. She needed to make it look right. If the cops found nothing missing … there'd be questions. More importantly, she wanted to do it exactly the way Leon said. She wanted to make him proud.

"Why?" Nal choked out.

Jasmine fought back the tears and bit the inside of her cheek, shaking her head. Her eyes locked on to the quarian's as they grew dimmer. "You should've left. They told you to leave. You should've left. God, why didn't you just listen?"

* * *

Thane looked up at the subject of so much recent frustration as she took her eye away from the scope of her sniper rifle. He stayed in the shadows where she couldn't see him, a floor below her, listening to the elcor attempt to bargain for his life. He remained silent, his stomach writhing as she questioned the value of the hanar to the elcor, her voice carrying a cold edge he didn't recall ever having heard there before.

Unblinking, he watched her take her first shot.

 _Is this how she intends to prove herself?_

Jasmine reloaded, took aim, and fired again. The sound of bone cracking loud enough to echo off the walls reached his ears.

 _She would risk her life for this? For her pride?_

Thane bowed his head, backing away as she lined up a third shot, knowing it'd mean the end of suffering for the elcor in her sights. They were not his kills, but he'd offer up prayer to Kalahira on Jasmine's behalf. Then, he'd beg forgiveness for being the one who led her there. He didn't expect her to follow him, she had no contract for Felton, he'd made sure of it before he began watching the estate. Beleno assured him the Alliance held no knowledge, no open investigations, or past inquiries of any sort into the elcor slaver.

 _She shouldn't be here._

Thane moved away, searching out the door leading to the basement. There'd be two more elcor waiting for him downstairs. After killing Felton, Thane moved back to the staff quarters, spooking frightened humans and asari back into their rooms before they saw him and locked the doors behind them. Nothing suggested they were involved, and nothing suggested anyone other than Felton and his four elcor guards would need to die that night.

Thane stopped, listening at the door. Surely the sound of Jasmine's sniper rifle reached those downstairs. They'd be waiting for him now, protecting their investments. There were no other options, no other points of entry. Opening his omni-tool, he scanned the door for explosives and found none.

Making his way through the door, Thane pressed his back against the rounded wall, following it as the elongated, shallow stairs wrapped around, spiraling into the basement. He stopped to listen when voices drifted up the stairs.

"Don't give me that shit, Mike. Look at 'em, they're not _people_ they're goddamn talking animals. That's it. For fucksake, they don't even have eyes." The voice grew louder, moving toward the stairs. "They're too damaged, they don't have any value anymore. Now do what Petonan said and kill them, or I'll kill you and take your fucking share."

Fury, hot and blinding burned through Thane for one endless heartbeat and then disappeared. He didn't need to hear anything else. It didn't matter that he didn't know who these others were. They'd made their intentions clear, and he wouldn't hesitate.

"Where are you going?!" This voice, like the first sounded human.

"Where the hell does it look like I'm going? Someone's up there shooting, and I can't get either Sanrot or Eklazi to answer the comm." The voice moved closer to Thane, just a meter or so away, the speaker already on the stairs.

Thane's hands darted out, wrapping around the human's head and chin the second he stepped into sight. He twisted the man's neck to the side before jerking it back the other way, feeling the grinding of bone reverberating through his hands and arms. The human died before having the chance to call out to his companion. Thane laid the man's body down on the stairs, careful to keep him out of sight.

He moved down the steps a little further, stopping when he could see the room ahead around the bend. Another human stood with his back to Thane a few meters in, and beyond him a dozen hanar, shackles leading from their tentacles secured to the wall. The man paced, shaking his head and muttering in agitation as he steeled himself for the task at hand. Thane moved down, peering around the edge.

At the far end of the room, two more elcor stood, their heads close together as they discussed something among themselves next to a closed door. Four more humans stood near the elcor, their guns angled at the staircase. A few evenly spaced columns the only source of cover Thane would have once he entered the room.

The hanar cowered together, pressing in on one another for support. Some trying desperately to hide behind the others until one spotted Thane at the foot of the stairs. He knew the moment they saw him, because like a wildfire they burst into light, brilliant, high-frequency bioluminescence screaming at him to save them. Thane drew his pistol, lifting a finger to his lips in the now galactic-wide symbol of silence before pulling biotic energy around his fist.

"Stop that. What are you doing? Hey, what the fuck are they doing?" Panic took over the voice of the man in front of Thane. He looked to the others across the room, drawing their attention away from the stairwell.

"They're just talking to each other, Mike. Hey, you'd better get on it before Jeff gets back." The crowd of men laughed with one another.

The one called Mike snarled, turning back to the hanar and raised his gun. Thane flung the biotics out at Mike, not waiting for them to hit before darting into the room, firing at the group of armed men as he sought cover behind the closest column. The biotic Throw found it's target, lifting Mike of his feet and flinging him across the room to slam into the wall behind the hanar. The room erupted into chaos, bullets aimed at Thane urged him to move faster. The hanar, barely able to move within their confines did their best to keep the man from getting back to his feet.

Thane reached the first column, an irritating sting at his shoulder telling him he'd been hit. He glanced down, finding nothing more than a graze slowly leaking blood, he turned his attention back to the battle. He peered around the column, pleased to see the humans' felt confident enough in their numbers to move in closer, attempting to flank him from either side. It would make his job easier. Thane raised his pistol, landing a headshot on the first man to round the row of columns, his assault rifle raised.

Thane spun, his biotics flaring to life again as he rolled to the side, avoiding the two men on his right. His eyes barely registered another figure moving down the foot of the stairs as he came out of the roll, pressing his back against the other side of the column. Thane flung the biotic energy out, dropping Mike—who'd managed to get to his feet and free of the hanar with only mild burns across his face and hands—back to the ground with a Warp.

The elcors bellowed, charging forward with their heads down. Thane had time, he raised his pistol, prepared to shoot the second man flanking from the far side of the basement. The hanars' bioluminescence flared in his peripheral, warning him of a new threat; a human female on the stairs behind him. The sharp, single shot, cracks of another pistol tore through the air, but Thane didn't turn to look. Even as he heard the staccato sound of assault rifles returning fire.

His target stepped into his line of sight and Thane pulled the trigger, firing another as the man hit the floor. He pivoted, firing a shot into the back of Mike's head as the human struggled to his feet. Turning, he ran, emptying his pistol into one of the elcor as he closed the distance.

* * *

 _Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck._

Jasmine pressed her back against the stairwell wall. Her chest heaving, she flinched when bullets peppered the stairs centimeters from her feet.

 _Jesus Christ, my training did_ not _cover this. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Holy shit, what's he doing?_

Jasmine waited for a break in the fire, leaning out just enough to let off a few rounds far more haphazardly than she was proud of. Still, she hit her targets even if their armor absorbed most of her shots. She caught sight of Thane meeting the elcor head on, a long dagger in his hand before return fire chased her back into cover.

 _He's going to get himself killed!_

Jasmine took a deep breath, calming her racing heart and ducked out again. Steadying her hand she took a fraction of a second to actually aim and squeezed the trigger. Her shot caught one of the guards just below his eye, sending him reeling back screaming in agony. She stepped back behind the wall, waiting for the flurry of assault rifle fire to die down again. Moving out of cover once more, a bullet grazed her thigh, tearing through her jeans. Jasmine hissed, jerking her buckling knee back into place and shot the man high in his forehead.

She limped forward, firing into both fallen guards' heads just to be sure. She raised her gun leveling it at the second elcor, who'd managed to get behind Thane, in the process of rearing back on hind legs. She pulled the trigger, catching the elcor in his hip. She pulled the trigger again and her gun clicked in response; empty.

 _Shit._

Jasmine expelled the empty clip and unzipped her jacket pocket, digging out another as the elcor turned his attention to her instead. Head lowered, the elcor charged her. They weren't a fast moving species, but he moved faster than she cared to gamble with. Jasmine backed up, meeting wall as she slammed the clip into place and raised her pistol again, firing off two more rounds. The enraged elcor didn't slow as the bullets hit him in the shoulder.

Nearly close enough that he'd splatter her against the wall with his massive size, Jasmine had no choice but to side step to the stairs, moving up the broad steps backwards, praying she didn't stumble. She fired again, and again, but the elcor kept coming. Her heel hit the back of a step, fire lanced through her thigh as her leg suddenly refused to support her weight. She fell, slamming her knee into the stone steps. Thrown off balance, she had to catch herself before she tumbled forward right into the rampaging elcor. Seeing the perfect opening, he pushed himself, picking up speed. Just as he reached Jasmine, still down on one knee, he lifted himself up on hind legs, ready to crush the life out of her.

She threw herself back, her ribs slamming against the edge of the next step as she rolled out of the way. The elcor landed; muscular limbs barely missing her. Jasmine thought she heard the stone crack next to her head. The elcor lifted his left front leg, centimeters from her face. Jasmine rolled under the raised leg, putting herself under the elcor and lifted her pistol, firing off a shot before scrambling back. She pulled herself up the next step with her elbows, pushing off the elcor with her feet.

He bellowed in pain, lunging forward and slamming his massive head and shoulders into Jasmine. Her entire right side bashed against the wall, splitting open her lower lip and instantly swelling her cheek and eye. Darkness surrounded Jasmine, her head spinning, and for a second she thought she might vomit. Whimpering, she struggled to push herself away from the elcor.

She heard a gun fire and when the haze cleared enough for her to see the elcor's face, his eyes bulging with shock. His leg buckled, his weight falling on his right side. Jasmine pushed herself further back, her lower body still stretched between the elcor's front legs. Another shot and he gasped, his breath hot and rancid in her face. Jasmine lifted her trembling hand, ramming the barrel of her pistol in his eye and pulled the trigger.

The force of the bullet slamming through his skull rocked his massive weight back to slowly crumple and fall back down the stairs. She closed her eyes, choking back the sob wanting to escape her throat. Hot tears seeped through the edges of her eyelids. Jasmine let herself collapse on the step, her heart trying to rip it's way free of her chest, every beat throbbing in her face. Each ragged breath she sucked in sent fresh shocks of pain through her ribs. Unconsciousness loomed on the horizon, whispering to her with promises of a place where she'd feel no pain.

Something moved above her. She raised her gun before she could even open her eyes. A hand swift yet gentle grabbed her wrist, pushing her gun aside. Her eyes opened, blinking furiously to clear her vision. Thane hovered over her, his eyes bottomless black pools, his lips pressed tight in a frown. For a moment, she couldn't understand why he was there. Losing focus, he split into two in front of her eyes, wavering before the images coalesced before her once more.

"Shepard?" His hand moved into her field of vision, fingertips hovering over her swollen face but not making contact. He pulled his hand back. "Can you stand?"

Jasmine started to roll to her side, pulling her elbow in beneath her to push up, but stopped, gasping at the hot poker lodged in her ribs. Thane slid a hand under her arm, trying to help her to her feet, but she rolled to her back and swatted his hand away.

"The hanar?" Her voice cracked, tickling her throat and forcing her to suppress a cough.

Thane turned, looking back over his shoulder. "They're safe now." He looked back at her, concern showing on his features for the span of two heartbeats. "Let me help you up."

"Just give me a minute. Go, go help them. I'll be fine." Jasmine put a hand on his chest, pushing him until he relented and moved back from her.

Thane hesitated, lingering a step below her until she forced herself to smirk and wave him off. He turned, moving down the steps to climb over the dead elcor at the bottom. Jasmine licked her cut lip, feeling the gash with the tip of her tongue. She sucked in a deep breath and pushed herself over to her side, clenching her jaw to fight off the scream of agony.

She pulled herself to her feet, her free hand pressed against the wall to keep her from falling while she swayed, fighting to regain her equilibrium. Her other arm hung limply at her side, her grip loose on her pistol. Jasmine glanced down into the basement, watching Thane as he worked to free the hanar. Her gaze shifted, landing on the elcor at the bottom of the stairs. She let her eyes roam, taking in the scattered corpses seen from her vantage point. She remembered the other elcor corpses, waiting to be acknowledged by the living, upstairs. So much death. So much suffering.

Jasmine turned, taking slow, cautious steps as she made her way upstairs. She dragged herself through the halls until she made her way to the kitchen. She stumbled, slamming her hand down on a counter to keep from falling. Catching sight of a first aid kit on the wall next to the refrigeration unit, Jasmine limped her way to the white box.

Disappointed when she only found a mostly empty tube of Medi-gel, she decided it was better than nothing. Pulling the box with her back to the metal island, she dropped it on the counter. Opening the tube of Medi-gel, she slathered it over her face and lip with trembling fingers. Tears stung at her eyes as numbness washed over face, making her want to sob all over again.

Jasmine pulled a chair over, carefully lowering herself down to the seat. She grabbed the scissors, cutting away a swath of her jeans. Squeezing the tube of Medi-gel with as much force as she could muster, she smoothed the last few drops over the shallow gash in her leg. It wouldn't be enough to completely stop the bleeding, let alone close the wound. She just needed to make it back to her apartment, and she'd be fine.

Jasmine pressed a piece of gauze to the wound, ripping off pieces of medical tape with her teeth to secure the gauze. She pushed herself to her feet again, swaying gently at the sudden rush of blood from her head. Leaning her hip against the counter, she tried to work her jacket off, being mindful of her ribs but it just wasn't working.

"Fuck." Jasmine hissed through clenched teeth.

The sound of someone clearing their throat made Jasmine grab her pistol from the counter as her head jerked toward the noise. Thane stood in the kitchen doorway, remaining motionless as he watched her, until she lowered the gun once more. She pressed her knuckles into the counter, pulling some of the weight off of her ribs and let her head drop in defeat.

"If you're looking for Medi-gel, there wasn't much up here. And it's gone now. Sorry." Jasmine lifted her head to meet his gaze.

Thane crossed the kitchen, rounding the island to stand next to her. "Allow me?" He gestured at her jacket.

Jasmine clenched her jaw, wanting to tell him to fuck off but the pain wouldn't let her say the words. Instead, she nodded her head and let him slip the jacket down over her shoulders, hating that she needed his help.

Thane looked her over, moving to her other side to be sure. "I see no blood, no wounds?"

"Cracked ribs." Jasmine dug through the pile, retrieving the roll of compression bandage and setting it back down in front of her.

She refused to look at him, knowing what needed to happen next. She released the clip on the strap securing her sniper rifle to her back, and wordlessly, Thane slipped it away. She watched his hands as he settled it down gently to the counter, treating her weapon with as much respect as she would've. Grateful she'd worn a button up blouse, instead of a pull over, Jasmine set to work undoing the buttons. Her jaw clenched again when she felt his fingers slip inside the collar of her shirt. Dropping her arms to her sides in resignation, she let him pull the shirt free, leaving her standing in her bra.

She watched him from her peripheral as he laid the shirt down next to her jacket and picked up the bandage, keeping his eyes averted. Jasmine held her arms out to her sides, as far as her injuries allowed, when he moved behind her. Touching her as little as necessary, Thane wound the bandage around her ribcage, testing the tension of the material as he went. He secured the bandage at her side before helping her back into her shirt.

Jasmine turned to face him, dragging her jacket down from the counter as she went. "Thanks," she muttered.

He dipped his head to her, the smirk she expected to see absent from his face. "You're welcome."

"Are your people coming for them?" Jasmine shifted her weight when her the dull ache in her thigh turned to a throb. She holstered her pistol, and let Thane help her secure her sniper rifle, wrapping the strap over her shoulder where she snapped it back into place.

"I have contacted them, yes. I will stay as long as I can, help as many of the hanar as I can until Beleno arrives." Thane gestured to her jacket, helping her put it back on when she nodded in agreement. "Or until C-Sec arrives."

"I have to go. I can't be seen here. I shouldn't be here." Jasmine started for the door.

Thane turned to watch her progress. "Indeed."

Jasmine's lips twitched in a half-smile. "We can discuss it another time, perhaps over _cinuela_ and chocolate."

"You're certain you can make it home?" Thane asked.

"Believe it or not, I've been through worse." Jasmine stepped out of the back door and into the dimmed lights of the Citadel, leaving Thane behind.


	9. Anala D'nalas

**A/N:** Ares is the original creation of squigglysquid for the 'Targeted Interference' and 'Assassins Unveiled' fics. Dialogue, descriptions, and actions of Ares are adapted from conversations with squigglysquid and used with their permission.

 **Anala D'nalas**

Jasmine rolled over, groaning as pain lanced through her ribs and face. Memories of the night before swept over her like reminders of a bad dream, taunting her waking conscious before fading. She pushed back the covers, sitting up and swinging her legs over the side of the bed. Another ring of her door's buzzer followed by a knock reminded her why she was awake. Whoever it was, they sure were persistent. Wincing, she lifted her pistol from her nightstand.

Growling and muttering obscenities with each step, Jasmine made her way to the door and activated the vid screen. Thane stood outside, not as ardently avoiding the camera as he had before. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and glanced at her omni-tool, expecting to see that it was the middle of the night. The time display read thirteen hundred hours.

"Shit." Jasmine pushed the intercom button. "Go away." She didn't care that her voice croaked, her throat raw and dry as scorched earth.

Thane looked up at the camera, the light of the hall shining through the darkness to show her the brilliant emerald of his eyes. His lips turned down at the corners, practically a scream of disapproval on his normally reserved face. "Your lack of manners remains intact, I see."

Jasmine scoffed, pushing the button again. "Let me lick my wounds in private. I need alcohol and sleep, not arrogance and criticism. You can yell at me for getting in your way later."

"As you wish." Thane turned to walk away.

"Wait!" Jasmine's tongue darted out, running over her tender lip and coming away with the sharp tang of blood.

Thane turned back to the camera, his brows quirked in question. The picture of calm, if she'd pissed him off by intervening at Felton's estate, she couldn't tell. Not that it mattered, she went there to help the hanar. So what if it upset him, he would've gotten himself killed going in there alone and the hanar would be the ones to suffer for it.

Her throat ached at the thought of the hanar in Felton's basement. She knew she didn't even see the worst of it, leaving before she'd seen behind the door in the basement. Burning, her eyes threatened to let go of another flood of tears. She swallowed, forcing the question out anyway. "How are they?"

Thane lowered his eyes, seeming to study his feet for a long moment before he answered. "A few were beyond help, they have gone to the sea. Most of them are recovering, however, and will soon be well enough to return to Kahje."

"The investigation?" Jasmine leaned her weight against the wall, filing away his reference to the sea for later evaluation.

Thane looked down the hall both ways. Stepping closer to the intercom, he dropped his voice. "Ongoing. Though, I don't think anyone will be looking very deeply. There has been significant media coverage, but the focus is on Felton's crimes, and not his death." He rubbed the back of his thumb over his jaw and looked up at the camera again. "The hanar all claim to not know who saved them. They won't speak of you."

"Thank you. I need to lay back down. I'll uh, I'll get in touch with you when I'm back on my feet." Jasmine pushed away from the wall, testing her weight on her injured leg. A dull throb greeted her efforts.

Thane dipped his head at the camera and walked away. Jasmine's fingers itched to press the intercom again and call him back, instead she pushed them down to her side. She hobbled around the apartment, first to the bathroom—where she avoided her reflection in the mirror, not wanting to know how bad she looked—then to the refrigerator. Returning to her bed with a take-home container of day old sausage and pancakes wedged against her hip, a bottle of rum tucked under her arm, and her pistol hanging loosely in her grip, Jasmine set everything down on her nightstand. Easing back to her mattress, she propped her pillows up behind her and pulled her breakfast over to her lap.

She opened her omni-tool first, and placed a call to Geoffrey. When his face popped up on the screen, his smile faded instantly and his eyes grew twice their size.

 _Well I guess that answers that question._

"I'll be right there," Geoffrey said before Jasmine could speak.

Snorting, she shook her head. "Don't bother, I won't get out of bed to let you in. It's not as bad as it looks, I promise."

"What happened?" The mask of steel slid over his face, smoothing out the laugh lines and giving a cold edge to his eyes.

"Nothing I can talk about." Jasmine shifted, trying to find a comfortable position. "Nothing you can talk about. I'll be alright, but I don't want Rift to see me for a day or two." She pointed to her bruised face. "Not until this fades a little. Will you tell him I don't feel well, and I'll catch up with the two of you in a day or so?"

Geoffrey nodded. "I've got to report back to Earth in a week, Jasmine. I don't know if he's ready for that."

The disappointment on his face pricked at her heart and twisted her guts."Have you brought it up at all yet?" Jasmine opened the takeout box, folding a dry pancake in half with her fingers and taking a bite.

He shook his head, rubbing his brow. "I think it might be best if he hears the idea first from you. I was hoping we could discuss it with him today. He really looks up to you, you know?"

Jasmine took her time chewing the pancake, letting his words settle down on her shoulders with the weight of responsibility. She wasn't a good role model for the kid, he had to see that. Setting it back down in the box, she grabbed the bottle of rum and wedged it between her thighs, using her free hand to twist the top off. Drinking straight from the bottle, she washed down the pancake, ignoring Geoffrey's chastising scoff.

"Which is half the reason why he's better off leaving the Citadel with you." Jasmine grinned, tipping back the bottle again.

Geoffrey shook his head and snorted, a habit he'd picked up from Jasmine long ago. Letting his features soften, he let out a sigh of resignation and smiled. "Alright, alright. I'll see how things go today. He wanted to eat at Le Bleu. You've really got the kid hooked on that place."

"That's because they've got the best food on the Citadel." Jasmine picked up the sausage to emphasize her point, taking a bite before dropping it back in the box bearing Le Bleu's logo.

"They should pay you for the advertisement, or at least give you a discount," Geoffrey said.

"Maybe I'll run that by them the next time I'm there." She chased the sausage with rum. "My name is Jasmine Shepard and this is my favorite restaurant on the Citadel!"

Geoffrey tilted his head back in laughter. Hearing him warmed her, feeling like home. It eased some of the ache and emptiness in Jasmine's heart, reminding her that there was still someone alive who loved her. She grinned and quaffed the rum before screwing the lid back on, setting it on her nightstand.

"I'll check in with you tomorrow, Geoffrey. I'm going to see if I can get back to sleep," Jasmine said.

Geoffrey nodded, sobering up. "Sweet dreams, kiddo. Talk to you tomorrow."

Jasmine gave him one last smile before closing her omni-tool. She took a few more bites from the take out box before dumping it in the trash, and another hearty swallow of the rum before sticking it back in the refrigerator. She knew she should apply more Medi-gel to her face, at least, but she wasn't done wallowing in her self-loathing. Crawling back into bed, the warmth of the rum spreading through her body numbing the pain, Jasmine pulled the covers back over her and fell right back to sleep.

* * *

She woke up the middle of the next day and stayed in bed staring at the ceiling. Prodding her face gingerly, she noted with indifference that the swelling had completely subsided, and it only hurt when she pushed too hard. She ran her tongue over her lip, finding the cut all but completely gone. Her ribs still ached when she moved, but it was a dull pain, one that urged caution but wouldn't hinder her too much.

Jasmine sighed, it was time for her to get out of bed and rejoin the living. She snorted, grinning at the irony even as the wound on her lip cracked in retaliation. Running her tongue over it and finding blood again, she sighed and threw the covers off. Sitting up in the bed, she peeled the bandage away from her thigh and balled it up. Still tender, but lacking any real redness or heat to the touch, Jasmine was content knowing it hadn't become infected with her lack of care.

She made her way into the bathroom and stripped out of her clothes. Removing the bandage from her ribs, she stepped into the shower to fiddle with the knobs until she got the temperature just right. Turning her back to the steaming hot spray of water, Jasmine groaned and lifted her arm against the shower wall to rest her head on.

"It was the right thing." Her voice lost to the sound of the shower, Jasmine spoke louder, needing to hear the words herself. Desperate to hear the truth in her own voice. "There was no easy way. But it was the right thing. And Nal was long, long ago."

She closed her eyes, squeezing them tight against the memory of the quarian's face. Instead, Leon's face filled her mind. The look of confusion, rejection glazing his eyes when Jasmine refused his advances that night. She didn't understand then how he could just go on as if nothing out of the ordinary happened, when not two hours before she'd beat a woman to death and stole her credits. Jasmine never even stooped that low for a hit of red sand, although there had been times she'd been close.

She understood now, he went on because he had to. It was a part of the job; as necessary as maintaining your weapons, and observing your surroundings. Jasmine learned in time, but there were still times she couldn't just walk away when the job was done. Those targets stayed with her for days, sometimes even weeks. Nal though, she'd been haunting Jasmine for years.

Nowadays, most jobs didn't phase her in the slightest. She did what needed to be done and went on about her day. Occasionally, the Alliance would force her out of her comfort zone and into a position where she had to get close to a target in order to kill them. More than once they'd asked her to seduce a politician and slip something in his drink while he was distracted by her chest. She'd been ordered to slit the throat of a batarian slaver. They wanted her to hang a man in his home while his wife did the shopping so it looked like he killed himself. Those were the times Jasmine had trouble, those were the times when she couldn't just shut it off and move on. It was different, up close and personal. Dirtier.

She shuddered, grabbing the shampoo off the shower rack. It wasn't an easy task, unable to lift her right arm very far, but Jasmine managed. Lathering and rinsing her hair, she washed the memories down the drain along with the suds. Jasmine tried to understand why Thane actually prefered to be close to his targets, but she couldn't. It killed her to look her targets in the eyes.

 _Must be why he prays for them after. Maybe I should do the same._

Jasmine finished her shower and sat on the edge of the toilet, spreading Medi-gel over the bullet graze on her thigh. Once it was rebandaged, she rewrapped her ribs and got dressed. She had an ice cream date with her two favorite guys, and she didn't want to miss it.

* * *

It was past time he moved to a new location. He'd allowed himself to become distracted with Jasmine, and his routine destroyed. He needed to remember who he was; what he was. If the gods truly willed her in his life, she would contact him again as she said. She had his extranet address, there was no need for her to have his physical address as well. He made sure her role in Felton's death wouldn't be discovered, and he assured himself she hadn't died from her injuries sustained that night; he'd fulfilled his obligation.

Thane rubbed at the dull ache deep in his chest.

 _So why am I still thinking about her?_

He forwarded a full week's rent to his landlord along with a message informing of his intent to vacate. Gathering the few personal items he kept with him, Thane left the apartment and hailed a taxi to take him to his new apartment.

* * *

Rift lifted the spoon to his mouth, flipping it upside down at the last second. Slurping, he sucked the ice cream off the spoon before stabbing it back into the scoop in the bowl. He looked at Jasmine, the doubt filling his eyes making her second guess herself.

She took a bite of her ice cream and lifted an eyebrow. "You don't have to go if you don't want too, Rift. But give it some thought. You'd have a roof over your head, clean clothes that fit, food in your stomach, a soft bed to sleep in … and best of all a family who loves you."

"But what about you and Sere Krios and Mouse and Talak and Mila and all the others?" Rift's brow furrowed, creating little lines of worry in his forehead.

"Well, I can vidcall you and I'm sure Geoffrey wouldn't mind if you wanted to call your friends, too. I'd come to visit when I could, you know, I'd have to make sure that they were feeding you plenty of french fries." Jasmine smiled when she caught the twinkle of interest in his eyes.

"And we could come visit Mouse and the others sometimes, too." Geoffrey leaned forward, using a napkin to wipe a chocolate smear from Rift's cheek.

"But not Sere Krios?" Rift titled his head to the side, catching Jasmine's omission. "I think he's still mad at me for telling you. Jasmine, does Sere Krios not like me anymore?"

Jasmine's stomach soured. She could almost hear the sound of her heart cracking inside her chest. She cleared her throat and set down her spoon, leaning forward to put herself a little closer to Rift's level, despite the protest of her ribs. "I think Sere Krios has just been preoccupied, Rift. I don't think he's mad at you at all. And if he were here right now, I'm sure he'd tell you the same thing."

Rift screwed up his face in confusion. "What's preoccupied mean?"

Geoffrey laughed. "It just means he's been really busy. I'm sure that this Sere Krios will find some time to call you, too."

Jasmine sucked air in between her teeth, just loud enough for the man sitting right next to her to hear. Geoffrey turned to look at her, his smile faltering for a second. Jasmine's shoulder twitched in a half-shrug. Even if she told Thane that it wouldn't affect their agreement, something told her the drell wouldn't be too interested in keeping in contact with Rift.

She sat back and picked up her spoon. "I'll definitely talk to him about it the next time I see him."

Rift sat back, playing with his ice cream while he thought about it. After a moment he looked up at Geoffrey, tilting his head to the side and lifting both of his eyebrows. "And you would be my dad?"

Geoffrey nodded. "I'd like to be, if you're okay with that."

Jasmine's heart skipped a beat.

"And I would have a mom?" Rift's hand paused in the air above his bowl, letting ice cream fall from his spoon back into the dish.

Jasmine grinned, nodding her head. "And sisters."

"Sisters?" Rift pulled his head back, not sure what to make of that one.

Geoffrey held up three fingers. "Three of them. Four if you count Jasmine, but she smells funny so we don't count her."

* * *

Jasmine sat at the table in her sad excuse for a kitchen pouring her second glass of rum. She was really starting to hate her apartment, but she'd stayed out of stubbornness and spite … and because of Rift. Now he was leaving. God, but she was so happy for him, he'd have everything he needed and he might just have a chance at living a normal, healthy, happy life. He was still so young, it wasn't too late for him.

 _I'm going to miss him, though. Miss him like crazy._

Jasmine opened her omni-tool and placed a vidcall to Karin. The last few days had hit her hard, and although she'd been fighting the urge to look into who on the Citadel could supply her with red sand, she knew she couldn't keep fighting on her own. If she wasn't careful, with the amount of alcohol she'd been drinking, she might find herself with a whole new addiction.

The call rang and rang. After the fifth ring, Jasmine cut the connection. She glanced at the time. It was the middle of the day on Earth; Karin must be at work. Scraping her teeth over the dead skin built up around her split lip, she promised herself she'd try again later. Opening her laptop, she logged into ' _Assassins Unveiled'_ hoping to find a little distraction. It was going to be a long night.

After spending the last few nights letting herself get lost in the antics of ' _ThisGuy800'_ she found herself seeking him out. She'd suspected there was something more to the man behind the username for a while, especially after he slipped and got a little too real responding to a post about the suspicious death of an asari named Anala D'nalas. It raised a red flag for Jasmine, and she started paying a little closer attention to what the user wasn't saying as much as he was.

She worked her way through her second and third drinks, finding her mood only worsening. Jasmine decided she needed to get out of the apartment for awhile; do something normal, something social instead of wallowing in her grief. Maybe it was just the alcohol talking, or maybe it was that little voice in the back of her head telling her that one hit of red sand wouldn't be all that bad, but Jasmine knew she didn't really want to be alone.

She thought about going to find Thane, give him the chance to yell at her afterall. Then, when he was done telling her how loud and sloppy she'd been, maybe she'd convince him to make her some tea. If she tried hard enough, Jasmine felt sure she could get him to relax enough to just talk like normal people. If she got lucky, she'd get to see that smile he showed her just before the connection to his omni-tool cut out.

 _No. That's a bad idea. That's a terrible idea. Terrible, stupid idea._

Jasmine stared at ' _ThisGuy800's'_ last post for a minute, tapping her fingertips against the table. She drained the last of her rum and clicked on his username, taking her to his profile. Of course, it said little to nothing about him, and she was certain that it was all crap. As much crap as what was on her own profile. She pursed her lips and clicked on the private message icon.

 _This is a terrible idea, too._

For some reason, she just couldn't find it in herself to care. Not with the way she felt.

" _Hey. Are you on the Citadel?"_ Jasmine hit send before she could change her mind.

A few seconds later his response came. " _And what if I'm not on the Citadel? What if I'm relaxing on a nice nude beach? ;)"_

" _Well, I'll be in Chora's Den in an hour blowing off steam. If you happen to get your ass there, I'm buying."_ Jasmine blew out a breath, resting her chin on her palm. Most nights his banter amused her, tonight it fell flat. She hoped he was a little more serious in person.

" _Chora's? Why didn't you say so? I'll find us a table."_

Jasmine thought about it for a moment, nervousness stirring to life in the pit of her stomach like waves crashing against the shore. It really was a stupid idea, but with the way she'd been racking up points in the stupid column lately, one more wouldn't make much of a difference. " _Far corner booth is my usual. They know me well enough there. Just drinks. That's it."_

" _I'll leave the whips and handcuffs behind, don't worry. Just drinks,"_ he said.

" _See you in an hour."_ Jasmine closed the laptop before she could tell him she'd changed her mind.

 _Christ what am I doing? Don't suppose it's too late to go see Krios instead. Hell, maybe I should just skip the both of them and go find someone who's selling and tuck myself back in an alley somewhere … fuck._

Jasmine growled at herself and pushed her chair away from the table to run a brush through her hair, pulling it back up into a ponytail. Glancing at the mirror to check out how bad the damage was to her face, she shook her head and headed for the door.

 _Just drinks. Not trying to impress the guy._

* * *

She scoped out the club from the bar, taking in the figure occupying the far corner booth as discreetly as she could. He certainly didn't give her much to work with, especially in the dim light of Chora's Den. She could tell he was turian, despite the dark jacket and hood so deep it all but completely hid his face. The shadows took care of what little did show, but it was the distinct points of a crest beneath his hood, the raised ridge of a carapace, and the three taloned hand wrapped around his glass that gave it away.

He'd said he was turian on ' _Assassins Unveiled'_ but she had no real reason to believe it wasn't fabrication. At least no one else in the bar seemed to be paying him any attention, aside from the occasional dancer to glance his way, probably debating whether the potential tips were worth approaching Mr. Tall Dark and Creepy.

Jasmine broke away from the bar, pushing away the last vestiges of doubt. She considered rounding it to approach him from behind, but if her suspicions were right, that would get them off on the wrong foot. She didn't need anymore tension tonight. Instead, she made her way straight to the table with her head up, and arms relaxed at her sides. Of course, she could easily draw her pistol from her back and put a bullet between his eyes if she wanted. Or crouch down and pull a knife from her boot, flinging it through the air to embed in his throat before the thought of whether or not it was a good idea ever crossed her mind.

If he was who she thought he was, he knew it just as well. And if he was who she thought he was, he could have a weapon in his hand just as swiftly. Whether or not they could wasn't the point, though. It was what the gesture implied, the same thing that his empty hands pressed to the surface of the table broadcasted; that neither of them intended to. The symbolism.

His head shifted, and she could feel his eyes watching her approach, standing the fine hairs at the nape of her neck on end. Adrenaline trickled through her veins, the little voice in the back of her head telling her she was in the sights of a predator's gaze; it brought a smirk to her lips. Jasmine slid into the booth opposite him, and turned to sit sideways with her back against the wall. Her ass had barely hit the seat before one of the waitress came to the table, halting any introductions between the two of them. Recognizing the asari, Jasmine offered her a smile. She leered at Jasmine, her eyes roaming over Jasmine's tight jeans and low-cut blouse, and asked if she wanted her usual.

Jasmine winked at her and nodded. "Please."

The turian started to slide a credit chit across the table.

Jasmine cocked her head to the side. "I thought I was buying?"

"You can get the next one. I think you may need it more tonight than I do." His voice grated, deep and gravely when he spoke.

Jasmine snorted and nodded her head at the waitress who accepted the credit chit and left the table. They sat in silence for a moment, both of them sizing the other up. Jasmine caught a hint of badly scarred chin and mandible beneath the hood. Something about the way he sat, the stiffness of his spine and the slight lean, told Jasmine he had a weapons holstered at his back. If he was anything like her, he probably had several on his person.

"Thank you." Jasmine smiled at the asari as she set her glass down on the table in front of her, leaning over enough to give Jasmine a good view of her baby blue décolletage. Tipsy enough to take the asari up on the invite to look, Jasmine took in the sights and smiled appreciatively. One of these nights, she might just take her home. Maybe that would keep her mind from wandering to inappropriate alternatives.

 _Is he really so inappropriate?_

Jasmine's jaw clenched at the errant thought, and she shifted it into a smile for the turian's sake, telling herself that it just meant she needed to spend more time around other people. What did she expect when the only adult she said more than two words to in months—other than Geoffrey and people bringing her food and drinks—was Krios?

 _And here I am reaching out to 'ThisGuy800'? What the hell am I doing here?_

She picked a napkin up and placed it under her glass before she realized what she was doing. Lifting the glass right back up again in defiance, Jasmine took a sip before giving in and settling it back down on the napkin.

 _Damn him. Now I'm picking up his habits?_

Returning her eyes to the turian across from her Jasmine lifted an eyebrow.

 _Is he really going to keep that damn hood on the whole time? This ought to be interesting._

He hummed, a low sound barely audible against the thrumming beat of music surrounding them. "I must say, the photo didn't do you justice."

It should alarm her that he recognized her so readily, but instead she snorted softly, a grin cutting across her face. "Yeah, I always look a little better roughed up." She absently touched the healing split in her lip and shook her head, affecting a scowl. "Terrible photo, had to go."

The hooded turian chuckled and reached into his pocket, setting Jasmine's teeth on edge. The hand resting in her lap itched to reach for her pistol, but she made herself relax. He pulled out a pack of cigarettes and an old, tarnished lighter. Shaking one out for himself, he offered the pack to Jasmine.

She shook her head, lifting her palm away from her glass to wave away the offer. "I'm good, thanks. I've got my vices, but smoking isn't one of them."

He tucked the pack back into his jacket and ran a talon over the end of the cigarette before settling it between his mouth plates. Propping his elbow on the table, lighter held in front of him ready to light the cigarette, he paused to hum. "I take it those bruises have something to do with you needing to blow off steam?" He flicked the lighter, flinching as it sparked and the flame burst to life.

Catching sight of the scars consuming his face, Jasmine felt her eyebrow twitch. "Mmm. More to do with how they came about, but yeah." She lifted her glass, taking a heavy swallow before staring into the murky liquid; the asari version of a cocktail Jasmine knew as Gunfire, made of rum and black tea. Turning her eyes back to him, she watch for any sign of familiarity; something that would tell her that her next words rang as true for him as they did her. "But more so, ghosts of the past coming back to haunt me. Dead people refusing to stay that way."

He lifted a talon, scratching at his scars in silence. Pulling heavy on his cigarette, he pulled it away from his mouth, ashes falling to the table to be brushed away absently. "How long have you been doing what you do?"

Jasmine snorted softly and looked back to her drink. "A few years." That was the best she could give him, he already knew too much. She shouldn't even be there, she knew nothing about ' _ThisGuy800'_ —whatever the hell his name really was—but if she was going to talk, it was going to be tit for tat. "And you?" She smirked as his mandibles flared, brushing along the sides of his hood.

Taking another drag from his cigarette, he let the smoke trail from his mouth in lazy tendrils, snaking their way up toward the ceiling. "What makes you think we're in the same profession?"

"Mmm. Might have something to do with ' _ThisGuy800'_ suddenly becoming well informed on enhanced scopes, shielded ammunition, and just what effect guns can have on flesh and bone." She lifted her shoulder a hair, cocking her head to the side. "A few other things. So?"

"So?" He flicked a mandible, taunting her.

Jasmine cocked an eyebrow at him, staring him down beneath his hood. "Coy doesn't suit you."

Laughter rumbled through him."Fifteen years." He waved the waitress over, dropping his cigarette but into the empty glass. "You have to make the choice to let them stay dead."

"Start us a tab, on me," Jasmine said to the waitress when she came back to the table.

The asari smiled, pressing her palms into the table to lean a little closer. "Sure thing, but you have to give me your name."

Jasmine smiled. "Give me yours first?"

The asari's grin widened, leaning over to whisper in Jasmine's ear, her breath warm and inviting against Jasmine's neck. "My name's Faline, but you can call me whatever you like."

Jasmine whispered right back, knowing full well the turian sitting less than a meter away could hear every word exchanged between the two of them. "Mmm, that's a pretty name. My name's Ramona."

Faline leaned back sucking her bottom lip in between her teeth and winked at Jasmine. "I'll get your tab started right away, Ramona." She left the table adding a little extra sway to her hips.

 _Yeah, definitely should take her home one of these nights._

The turian chuckled. "She's expecting you to tip well." He flicked a mandible. " _Ramona_. And here I was thinking I should call you 'Jazz.'"

"No one's called me that in a long, long time. Ramona's what I use for now." She raised an eyebrow. "What about you, ' _ThisGuy800'_?"

Lighting another cigarette, the flames casting shadows across his scars, he blew smoke toward the bar. "Ares."

"Ares? I'm sure someone's told you the meaning of that in human lore. Interesting choice."

Ares chuffed, his mandibles fluttering beneath his hood. "So how'd you get the bruises?"

 _How'd you get the scars?_

"Elcor. They're meaner than they look." Jasmine licked the crack in her lip, and shook her head.

"Felton of the Elnsoon Clan?" Ares flared his mandibles.

Jasmine shrugged noncommittally. "Didn't exactly ask his name. Was a little busy trying not to get trampled to death.

"I've been watching the case. You didn't do that alone." Ares leaned toward her, casting more shadows over his face. "Let me guess, your partner was that drell watching us at your ten?"

Jasmine let out a groan and pinched the bridge of her nose. The alcohol dulling her senses more than she realized, she didn't even feel like she was being watched. She didn't need to look to know he was talking about Thane. What other drell would be watching her? Jasmine opened her omni-tool and used it to record her voice. "Either come say hello or go away, you're making my guest uncomfortable." She sent the recording to Thane's extranet address.

A moment later her omni-tool pinged, and she opened the message he sent her in return. "Very well, as you wish."

* * *

Jasmine slept unsoundly, tossing and turning on top of her crumpled bedding. He'd turned the lights to dim after helping her to bed, thinking she might need them should she wake in the night in her intoxicated state. Managing to find a single clean glass in her cabinet, he filled it with water and set it on her nightstand next to her pistol and knives.

He'd been on his way to the door, thinking her already asleep when he heard her voice telling him that she didn't think she should be left alone. Hesitating next to the door, he tried asking her what she meant. Had she drank too much, was she ill? He knew she'd had a significant amount to drink with her companion at Chora's Den, and then still more at Le Bleu. He'd managed to convince her to drink some water at Le Bleu, but not nearly enough to stave off the effects of the alcohol in her , she would feel much worse in the morning.

She didn't respond to his questioning, so he moved back to the bed and called her name. When still she didn't answer, he stood over the bed for a few minutes watching the rise and fall of her chest trying to assure himself that she was fine and that he should leave her to sleep, but there had been something in her voice that crept past the tattered edges of his battle sleep and urged him to stay.

So, he settled into one of her chairs and watched her sleep. Growing restless after only a couple of hours and increasingly disturbed by the mess she allowed herself to live in, Thane slid his jacket off and draped it over the back of the chair. Perhaps she really wouldn't mind if he cleaned. Unfortunately, the task didn't take quite as long as he'd hoped. He was surprised the sounds of running water and dishes clanking didn't disturb her at all.

For a while after, he sat in the middle of her floor meditating. It removed his own desire to sleep, and kept his mind occupied … until she started talking in her sleep. At first, he tried not to listen; to show her the same courtesy she'd shown him when she refused to listen to while he recounted the memories of his wife.

In the end, it was a pointless gesture. Whereas she easily closed the lid of her laptop to afford him privacy, he couldn't so easily shut her out. Anguish filled her voice as she spoke of someone called Nal. The weight of the emotion demanded his attention, telling him far more than her incoherent rambling. Empathy stirred inside of him, something he'd not felt for another in years.

He considered waking her, ending the suffering her dreams caused. Still on the floor as she tossed and turned, he struggled with indecision until her heard her say 'Krios'. He strained to hear her speak again. Telling himself that it was nothing more than intrigue, but unable to ignore the spark of … something that pierced through him when he heard his own name on her lips.

"… judgemental asshole … stupid idea … ." Her voice came out muffled, nearly lost with her face half buried in the sheets.

Thane smiled, his shoulders bouncing lightly with suppressed laughter. A moment later, Jasmine bolted upright in bed, and winced, her hand moving to her ribs. His breath caught in his throat, and he put his palms on the floor, ready to push himself up and go to her if she required assistance. Before he could ask, she crawled out of bed, looking right past him and hurried to the bathroom.

He stood, moving to her nightstand to retrieve the glass of water he'd sat there hours before. When the door opened again, Jasmine walked out rubbing her face, now wearing nothing but her undergarments, her hair freed from her ponytail resting around her shoulders. Thane looked away and cleared his throat, the glass of water still held out in front of him.

He heard her gasp, and suddenly felt very, very sure he must've misunderstood the meaning of her words earlier in the evening. Clearly, she didn't expect to find him still there. She retreated to the bathroom and closed the door again. He sat the glass of water down on her nightstand, moving quickly to retrieve his jacket and leave.

"Am I dreaming?" Confusion filled her voice.

Thane risked a glance over his shoulder, relieved to see she put a robe on. Standing in the doorway of her bathroom, she now watched him with her brow furrowed, her fingers worrying her forehead. He glanced back down at his jacket clenched in his fist, unsure of what the appropriate thing to say was under the particular circumstances.

He let his hand drop to his side and turned to her, the least he could do was give her the courtesy of admitting his mistake to her face. "No, I'm afraid you aren't."

She cut him off before he could continue. "Oh. Okay." Jasmine's face relaxed, and she started back toward her bed, swaying as she walked. She stopped halfway and turned back to him. "Why are you here?"

"I thought you wanted me to stay, but I believe now that might have been a misunderstanding on my part. My apologies."

The skin at the brief expanse of her revealed chest and neck began to redden. Lifting a hand to cover her mouth, her eyes widened. She glanced at her bed and then back to him. "Oh God … did I … I didn't … ." She cleared her throat, running her hand back through her hair. "Why uh, why did you think I wanted you to stay?"

Her thoughts suddenly becoming quite clear to him, Thane found himself momentarily speechless. He looked forward to the memories of the sheer look of mortification on her face. He snickered, raising his brows when her flush deepened. He considered teasing her as she seemed so fond of doing to him—and had done so much of earlier in the evening—but decided to hold on to this moment for later use, should she give him reason.

He cleared his throat. "You said you didn't think you should be left alone." Waving a hand toward the bed. "I tried to get you to explain, but you were already asleep. Considering your injuries, and as much as you drank, I thought perhaps it was wise to stay."

Dropping her hand to her side, she let her shoulders sag. "Oh. Ah, well that was kind of you." She looked past him, toward the kitchen area and then back to him, swaying gently on her feet. A smile spread across her face, amusement dancing in her eyes. "You cleaned?"

He chuckled, turning to look over his shoulder. "I didn't think you'd mind." Thane turned back to her and they stood, watching each other in awkward silence. A moment later he glanced back at the jacket in his grip and started to put it on. "It appears you're feeling better now, so I'll leave you to your rest." Tugging at the collar once he had the jacket on, he met her gaze again. "Perhaps you'll drink the water on your nightstand?"

Jasmine glanced at the glass and then back to him, crossing her arms over her chest as she absently rubbed at her upper arms. "Yeah, sure. Thanks, um, thanks for getting me home and for staying to make sure I was okay."

The disappointment in her voice kept him from turning away. Normally she was better at concealing her emotions, her body language calculated and controlled; expressing only what she wanted expressed. It must be the alcohol, yet another reason why Thane avoided drinking. Feeling compelled to stay if it was what she wished, Thane tilted his head to the side, questioning why it mattered to him. She didn't need him, she was moving around fine on her own. Surely the gods didn't expect him to be at her beck and call.

Still, he found himself speaking, "I can … I can stay awhile longer, if you'd like."

She gave him a sad smile and shook her head, raising a hand to her forehead again. "No, no, I'm alright. Go home, get some sleep. I'll send you a message when I'm more coherent and we can talk about … Felton's estate. I'm sure you've got plenty to say about it." She chuckled, the sound hollow to his ears.

"Are you certain?" He tucked his hands behind his back, silently willing her to be honest with him.

"Yeah, I'll be fine." She rested a hand on her collarbone, and swallowed.

Everything about the way she stood, the sound of her voice, screamed of deceit. He was certain she wanted him to stay, but refused to accept his offer. He didn't want to consider the possible implications, but was sure that he would anyway. Thane dipped his head to her and turned to the door. "Goodnight, Shepard. Rest well."

"Night, Krios. You, too." Jasmine led him to the door. Opening it for him, she pressed her back to the frame, keeping the door open as he left.

He could feel her eyes on him as he walked away.


	10. Stiv Kay

**Stiv Kay**

"Excuse me! Ms. Salazar?" Private Rawlin's voice called after her.

Jasmine stopped, hefting the weight of her sniper rifle case up onto her hip. Turning back to the man behind the Alliance training center's front desk, she lifted her eyebrow. "Yes, Private?"

"Sorry to bother you, miss, but I have instructions to deliver this to you when you visited again." He held a small box out on the palm of his hand.

Jasmine hesitated before moving back to the desk. "Instructed by whom?" She glared at the box bearing the green Aldrin Labs' logo as if it might bite her.

Rawlins set the box down on the counter in front of Jasmine and turned back to his console. "I'm sorry ma'am, I don't have the clearance to access that information."

"What is it, do you know?" Jasmine eyed the box, hesitant to even touch it, pursing her lips. She hated surprises, and this was definitely unexpected.

"Yes ma'am, it's the new tactical cloak from Aldrin Labs. New tech, hasn't even been released to the public yet." The private scratched the short, black hair at his temple, eyeing Jasmine speculatively. "I'm … I'm a little surprised they left it for you here, ma'am."

Jasmine lifted the corner of her mouth, seeing the private fishing for information first hand amused her. This wasn't the first time he'd shown interest in Ramona Salazar. Whispered rumors reached her ears the first week she visited the Alliance training facility; Private Mike Rawlins had been asking around about her. He didn't have a clue how much his curiosity nearly cost him. Jasmine asked her liaison to run his name after the first time she caught him watching her at the range, lucky for him, her liaison cleared him.

Jasmine set her rifle case down next to the counter, using her feet to box it in. Picking up the Aldrin Labs package, she turned it over in her hands until she saw the label. As Rawlins said, the label identified the contents as the Aldrin Tactical Cloak Experion and provided a list of specs for the cloak.

"I can help you with it, if you'd like, ma'am," Rawlins said. "I've been following their developmental releases."

Jasmine glanced up at the tall, well muscled man who had eager eyes and a friendly smile. She smirked and nodded her head. "Alright, show me what it can do, Rawlins."

His grin deepened, brilliant white teeth contrasting against mahogany skin. "So you _do_ know my name." He moved around the desk to stand in front of Jasmine, towering over her by at least twenty-five centimeters, as he held his hand out for the box.

"Of course." Jasmine handed the box to him and leaned her hip against the counter, sizing him up.

Rawlins slipped a knife from his pocket and sliced through the tape holding the box closed, setting the knife down on the counter. Jasmine wondered idly if he had any idea she could kill him with his own knife before he even realized she'd picked it up. Not that she expected him to give her any reason to, but the thought made her feel a little better with a man his size standing so close. Rawlins seemed like a nice guy, genuinely friendly and not just because it said so in his job description.

He slipped the matte, black band from the packaging and pressed down a button on the side. He waved his fingers, gesturing to her arm. "It'll need to sync to your omni-tool and take your measurements when you first put it on."

Jasmine held her arm out, letting him fit the cuff on her wrist next to her omni-tool. He stole glances at her as he worked.

"So it'll take about twenty seconds, after that this screen will flash when it's ready to take your measurements." Rawlins cleared his throat. "Mind if I ask you a question, ma'am?"

"Only if you stop calling me ma'am." Jasmine watched the little screen on the cuff as data scrolled across its surface. She glanced up when he didn't speak right away. "Spit it out, Rawlins. I can't promise I'll be able to give you the answer you want, but I'm not going to fault you for asking."

He chuckled and nodded his head. "Fair enough. I was wondering why your file has your rank withheld?"

Jasmine raised her eyebrow. "You accessed my file?"

Rawlins rubbed the back of his neck and laughed breathlessly. "I uh, I was trying to figure out whether it was safe to ask you out or not."

Jasmine held up her wrist, cuff indicator flashing, for Rawlins to see. She had to admit, she kind of enjoyed watching him squirm.

"Right, uh, so stand feet shoulder width apart with your arms out to the side," Rawlins said. "Try not to move or talk while the scanner is active."

Jasmine let her smile fade as she took a step to the side, spreading her arms wide. A moment later, a green holographic grid crossed over her vision, spreading over her entire body before moving back to the cuff, only to repeat the process three times more before it finally faded completely. Jasmine dropped her arms to her sides and rolled her neck to ease tense muscles. Tender ribs throbbed in her side, dull and distant, reminding her they weren't completely healed.

"And that's it, when you want to activate the cloak, just press this button. It only lasts for a few seconds, and the recharge time is twenty, but it'll be enough to give you an edge." Rawlins grinned. "Not that you need if from what I've seen."

Jasmine grinned, squatting to retrieve her sniper case. "The answer to your question is: you don't have the clearance to access that information." She picked up the tactical cloak box. "And uh, I'll think about it." Jasmine moved past him, making her way through the scanners toward the training grounds.

"You'll think about it?" Rawlins called after her.

Jasmine turned, walking backwards, snickering at his furrowed brow. "About whether or not it's safe for you to ask me out." She winked and turned her back to him, letting him watch the sway of her hips as she walked away.

Heading for the shooting range, Jasmine worked the empty box into her pocket and tugged the zipper closed. She'd have to go over the full instructions later, and perhaps she could use the shipping code to track down who sent it to her.

Jasmine slid her rifle case up on the counter of her stall and lifted the sound dampening ear muffs from the peg, settling them around her neck while she got her rifle ready. Just as she flipped the latches on the case, her omni-tool pinged. Jasmine hesitated, her fingers itching to get her gun out and fill the target full of holes. She let out a weary sigh and opened her omni-tool instead, accessing the flashing messages icon. The sender's extranet address registered as blocked, but in her line of work it wasn't too unusual, so she tapped on the message.

" _Happy Birthday, J. Hope you like the present I sent you. Put it to good use. - L."_

 _Leon. Of course._

Jasmine groaned and opened her case, imagining a new face painted on the human silhouette target at the other end of the range.

* * *

Jasmine tried not to wince as she settled into the chair next to Geoffrey. Rift's face exuded pure delight; she could almost see it seeping out of his pores. The cake sitting on the table in front of him, holo-candles dancing with fake flames illuminating Geoffrey's little studio, declared, " _Happy Birthday, Jasmine."_ Geoffrey glanced at her apologetically, reaching over to rub her shoulder. She hated birthdays.

She saw the concern in his eyes, even if he didn't give it voice. Jasmine gave Karin permission years ago to discuss her continued recovery with Geoffrey as Karin saw fit. Jasmine felt bad enough dumping her problems in Karin's lap without asking the woman to keep secrets from her husband, and she knew they both cared about her; both worried about her. The only reason she never talked about her addiction struggles with Geoffrey was lack of expertise; Karin spent years training as a drug rehabilitation counselor, not him.

"Happy Birthday, kiddo." Geoffrey squeezed her shoulder, offering her silent support before moving his hand back to the table. "The cake's Rift's idea. Looks delicious, doesn't it?"

 _Pfft. Let the kid take the blame, nice._

"Yes, yes it does." Jasmine winked at Rift.

"Happy Birthday, Jasmine! You have to make a wish!" Rift squirmed in his seat, pulling his legs into the chair to sit on his knees.

Jasmine laughed, his enthusiasm squashing the last remnants of her bad mood as easily as if they were bugs beneath his feet. Squeezing her eyes closed, she made her wish.

 _Let him have the best life ever._

* * *

Thane raised his hand to knock on the door and hesitated, a boulder of doubt settling in his stomach. Jasmine still hadn't messaged him to say she wanted to talk, and in fact, he thought she might be avoiding him. The haunting look of desolation in her eyes stayed with him since he last saw her, leaving him feeling as if he'd made a terrible mistake leaving her.

He felt selfish now, showing up uninvited at her door. He'd like to tell himself he came to talk about the Felton contract, but it would be a lie. Really, he came so that he could see her eyes; he needed to know that look had gone. Still, he did have things he needed to say to her about that night, and if he didn't tell her soon, he'd let the words remain unspoken forever. She deserved better. He knocked on the door.

A moment later, the door slid open. Jasmine stood before him, a fork in her hand, licking a smear of something purple from her lip. She took a deep breath, letting it out slow, her shoulders drooping with the motion. His lip twitched, realizing some part of him hoped she'd be pleased to see him, and found himself disappointed she wasn't. It'd seemed … it seemed like maybe she'd grown to enjoy his company, even inviting him to join her as she shared drinks with her turian friend. He never did much socializing, even when Irikah lived, and none he could speak of with a human, so perhaps he'd read it all wrong.

She'd laughed so much that night, though, her eyes sparkling as she smiled at him, teased him … tried to feed him from her own fork. That one still confused him. He considered the possibility her lewd jokes were more than simple teasing, but in the end he decided it safer to assume her actions had different cultural implications for humans than drell. After all, she didn't hesitated to drink after him when they first met, and she never failed to tell him how arrogant she thought him.

Jasmine nodded her head and turned her back to him, moving to her table. Thane smiled, he might actually be growing accustomed to her informalities. Crossing over the threshold, he followed her inside, noting the vibrant purple and white iced confection, cake humans called it, sitting in the middle of the table. Pieces neatly sliced were missing from the lower corner of one side, small, uneven gouges taken from the upper corner on the same side. The words " _Happy Birthday"_ yet untouched, while the letters " _Jas"_ all that remained of her name.

Turning his attention from the cake back to Jasmine, his brow twitched. "Today is your birthday?" Thane pulled out the chair opposite of her, taking a seat before she threatened to shoot him.

Jasmine stuck her fork into the purple icing, digging out a piece and putting it in her mouth. "Yep."

"I'm surprised you aren't with your friend, Geoffrey. Perhaps Rift." Thane folded his hands, resting them on the table.

Jasmine dug into the cake again, turning her eyes to him. Propping her elbow on the table, she held the forkful in front of her mouth. "The cake was Rift's idea." She scrunched up her nose. "They made me take the damn thing home with me." She stuck the fork in her mouth, a faint moan vibrating her throat.

Thane chuckled, feeling the muscles in his shoulders ease as he leaned back against the chair. "And this upsets you?" He gestured to her cabinets. "Is it tradition to not use plates?"

Jasmine smirked, licking the icing off of her fork before setting it down on the edge of tray. "I figured I'd avoid ruining all of your hard work for as long as I can." She leaned back, reaching behind her to open a drawer and retrieved another fork, holding it out to him. "Save me the shame of having eaten this entire thing by myself over the next two days, and I promise to wash them when we're finished."

Thane held his hand up, declining the offer. "I'm not hungry, thank you."

Jasmine rolled her eyes and waggled the fork. "It's … it's not about being _hungry_." She let out an exasperated sigh. "It's my birthday, Krios. It means you have to do what I say. Now take the damn fork and splurge a little."

Thane leaned forward, smiling indulgently and took the fork from Jasmine. She watched him with her eyebrows raised as he used the edge of the fork to neatly cut a bite sized square of the cake and lift it to his mouth.

Jasmine snorted and shook her head, flashing her teeth in a grin. "You're hopeless." She dug into the cake again.

Thane put the piece in his mouth, the shock of thick, sweet icing on his tongue nearly choking him. He chewed, the undercurrents of chocolate barely noticeable, and forced himself to swallow before clearing his throat and swallowing again. "That's, ah, that's terrible."

Jasmine let her head loll back on her shoulders, laughing heartily at the ceiling. Thane froze, transfixed, in awe of the musical sound escaping her lips. The sudden ache in his chest overshadowed by the flood of exhilaration sweeping over him, left him breathless. The moment passed, fading with her laughter and Thane took a steadying breath in through his nose, setting the fork down on the tray.

Grateful she didn't seem to notice his lapse, he watched her as she left the table and poured them both a glass of water. Jasmine leaned over the table, sitting a glass down in front of him. Her hair, pulled up high on the back of her head, swept down over her shoulder throwing the citrus scent, forever burned into his mind as belonging to her, into the air—grapefruit and papaya, she called it, if her words on ' _Assassins Unveiled'_ were to be believed.

"Thank you." He took a drink of the water, washing away the sickeningly sweet, sticky taste in his mouth.

She smiled at him, humor dancing in her multi-hued eyes; brown shifting to green, flecked with gold, reminding him of the rainforests of Kahje. Thane cleared his throat, averting his gaze as she settled back into her chair. Reminding himself the flood of detail and sudden, intense emotions were to be expected as he fought to hang on to the last of his battle sleep, he told himself he needn't examine any of it too closely. It'd fade eventually, just as every other time.

"Sure, you're welcome." She took a sip from her own glass. "You should try some without the icing … if you want." Jasmine sighed, her smile slipping from her face as she poked around her corner of the cake. "Alright, Krios, I'm ready. Let the yelling commence."

He chuckled, picking the fork up and cutting another small piece before separating the spongy cake from the layer of thick icing. "I haven't come to yell, Shepard." He put the cake in his mouth, buying himself time to weigh out his words. He still didn't know what exactly she found so offensive about him, but he felt determined to avoid upsetting her if at all possible.

"I wanted to thank you … and apologize." He traded the fork for his glass, washing the cake down.

Jasmine blinked, her eyebrows creeping up. "You're serious?"

"Indeed." Thane folded his hands on the table.

"Okay, I'll bite. Thank me for what?" Jasmine leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table, her hands clasped together, propping up her chin. "Apologize for what?"

"I wanted to thank you for your assistance." He turned a palm out, gesturing at Jasmine. "The human guards were unexpected. I fear more hanar would've been lost had I been alone … and I wanted to apologize for allowing you to be injured in the process."

Jasmine sucked on her teeth, leaning back in her chair and crossing her arms over her chest. "I fucked up and got cornered by a rampaging elcor, and _you're_ apologizing for it? Are you kidding me?"

"I—no, you wouldn't have been there if not for me. I should've—" Thane's brows creased when she held up a hand, halting his words.

"Krios, if the next words out of your mouth are 'I should've protected you' or anything even remotely like that, this cake is going in your lap." Jasmine dropped her hand, tucking it back underneath her arm.

Thane blinked at her, unsure of what to say; the conversation wasn't going as he hoped. Propping his elbows on the table, he clasped his hands together, pressing the knuckles of his fingers against his lips while he considered his next words. "Shepard, I assure you I mean no offense. I'm not trying to challenge you or question your ability to defend yourself … yet I do hold myself responsible simply by having been the one to lead you there." He tapped his knuckles against his lips again. "Indeed, you fought well, and as I said, I suspect there would've been a very different outcome had you not followed me."

The muscles along her jaw twitched, her voice steady when she spoke, "You would've been killed going in there alone, even without the humans."

The ache flared to life inside of Thane's chest again, and he fought the urge to press his palm against his sternum. "I was prepared for the possibility, yes."

"What would that have accomplished? You'd be dead, and the hanar still slaves." Jasmine leaned forward again, keeping her arms across her chest. "You needed help—they needed help, and you never would've accepted the offer, so I didn't bother to ask."

"I went in prepared to die, yes, but I believe I would've accomplished my goal in the process." Thane held her steady gaze with his own.

"Five elcor, alone?" Jasmine cocked her eyebrow.

"Yes." Already walking a fine line, he hesitated to elaborate any further.

"And you were just going to go in there thinking you'd be killed … and you're okay with that?" The muscles along her jaw rippled again, her voice a biting challenge. "Why?"

 _Because it'd be no less than I deserve._

Thane hesitated, lifting his shoulder, hoping to brush aside the question. "The possibility exists with any contract I accept."

Jasmine scoffed and shook her head, picking up her fork. Clearly she didn't believe his reasoning to be as simple as he tried to convey, but mercifully she didn't prod. He too picked up his fork, returning his attention to the cake. They ate in silence for a moment, stealing glances at one another.

His curiosity getting the better of him, he cleared his throat. "You would've refused the contract?"

Jasmine sucked in a deep breath, holding it a moment before slowly letting it out. "No, Krios. I would've asked for assistance."

"I'm freelance—" He started to explain he didn't have the luxury of requesting aid.

"You weren't always, and clearly this was a favor for the hanar." Jasmine's eyes searched his own. "Are you telling me they would've sent you in alone if you said you couldn't handle it by yourself?"

"I—" He started to tell her he didn't know, he'd never asked for help past his training.

"And you could've asked me … but I guess you really think I'm just that inept. Only would've gotten in your way?" Jasmine stabbed her fork down in the cake a little more aggressively than the other times.

His lips pressed flat in disapproval; the grip on his fork tightening. He found himself struggling for the first time in years to keep anger from his voice. "Don't put words in my mouth, Shepard. I had no reason to suspect you'd be willing to step outside of what the Alliance orders you to do, and even had I ... I said I'd willingly risk my life, not yours."

* * *

He leaned over the railing of the catwalk, watching as Jasmine squatted down in front of Rift. Geoffrey stood next to them, carrying two bags slung over his shoulder and a third in his hand. Rift flung himself at Jasmine, wrapping his arms around her neck, nearly knocking her over. She wrapped her arms around the boy's waist, lifting him off the ground as she pushed herself to her feet.

Rift pulled back to look at Jasmine, his laughter reaching all the way up to Thane's ears. She smiled, pressing her forehead against his before kissing him on the cheek and setting him back on his feet. She turned to Geoffrey, snaking her arms though his, resting her face against his chest. The older man kissed the top of her head, turning his cheek to rub against her hair before she backed away.

Geoffrey reached out, taking Rift's hand as Jasmine waved at them. She watched them walk away, moving to stand in line behind several other passengers waiting to board the Earthbound ship. Jasmine sent him a message the night before, telling him Rift would be leaving with Geoffrey. It didn't come as news to him, however. No sooner had the offer been made to Rift did he tell Mouse, and as soon as Mouse heard, he informed Thane.

The man wanted to adopt Rift, provide him with a new family and home. The speed with which it all happened alarmed him, but Jasmine appeared confident and pleased with the arrangement. He trusted her judgement when it came to Rift, he had no doubt she cared for him greatly and wouldn't entrust his care to just anyone. Genuinely pleased for Rift, it made the hollow feeling inside that much more perplexing.

Jasmine's message said Rift asked about Thane. He wanted to know whether Thane still liked him, and wanted Thane to call him at his new home. Jasmine said she hoped he'd consider it because she'd willingly set their agreement aside. He didn't really know what he'd say to the boy if he did call, and he knew remaining in contact with him wouldn't be in Rift's best interest. Thane didn't even risk contact with his own son, not since …

 _No. Not here. Not now._

Thane jerked his head to the side, forcing away the memories of his beloved's body sliding into the Encompassing. The memories of Kolyat's tears. Memories of the batarians he slaughtered in retribution until at last he heard the one name that mattered—the human mercenary who killed Irikah—Stiv Kay. He refused to think of them there, not in a place with so many people around. Those were his memories, his alone, not for the ears of some unfortunate passerby.

He turned his attention back to Jasmine, watching as she walked away from Rift and Geoffrey, wiping tears away from her eyes. A part of him wanted to go to her, to try to offer her what comfort he could, but he felt sure she'd only balk at the idea. What did he know of comforting anyone, anyway?

She moved out of his sight, so he let his gaze drift back to the small human child and his new father. Rift clung to Geoffrey's hand, his feet in constant motion even as he stayed in the same spot. Geoffrey smiled down at the boy and said something, to which Rift looked up at him with awe in his eyes.

Movement stirred the air around him, taking him by surprise. Muscles in his arms flexed on instinct, his biotics tingling the tips of his fingers, ready to lash out at the intruder in the fraction of a second it took for Jasmine's familiar scent to register with his mind. His breath caught in his throat, relief cooling the spark of biotics before it welled in his fists. She leaned against the railing next to him.

 _Arashu protect this one, she's able, but not yet wise enough to protect herself._

He turned his head to look at her, but she didn't look at him. Her tears were gone now, but her shoulders remained slumped.

 _She is indeed getting better._

She took a deep, shuddering breath. "There's still time for you to go tell him goodbye."

"It's better for him if I don't." He turned his attention back to the child.

"How long have you known him?" Jasmine asked.

Thane thought about it for a moment. "A little over a year."

"In all this time, has he ever been hurt because you spoke to him?" She turned to look at Thane.

The weight of her gaze pulled at him, her eyes a force of nature all of their own, demanding his acknowledgement. He looked at her and shook his head. "No, of course not."

"If you choose today, of all days, to _not_ talk to him … it's going to hurt him for a long time." Her eyes plead with him to understand.

 _Perhaps wiser than I give her credit for._

Thane dropped his gaze to his hands, taking a steadying breath. "Indeed." He pushed away from the railing, making his way to the ladder.

Jasmine followed him down, walking with him as they wove their way through the crowd. Rift glanced over his shoulder, catching sight of Thane, and his face lit up brighter than any star in the galaxy—just as Kolyat's face once lit up when Thane returned home after a long stint 'away on business.' Pulling his hand free from Geoffrey's, Rift ran, pushing his way through the crowd to reach Thane. Geoffrey yelled after him, panic filling the man's voice until Jasmine caught his attention with a wave.

Rift slammed into Thane, nearly winding him. Small, once frail arms now strengthened with adequate nutrition wrapped around Thane's hips. Stunned by the intensity of the child's affection, Thane settled his hands down on Rift's back. He glanced at Jasmine, hoping to find some guidance.

Her face full of warmth, she smiled at him, but offered no more words of wisdom. Reaching out a hand, her fingertips brushed his shoulder, barely making contact before moving down to ruffle Rift's hair. It was too much, too intimate from both of them at once. His heart hammered against his chest, his breath catching in his throat as memories of Kolyat and Irikah threatened to drown him as surely as the sea.

She walked away, and he wanted to beg her to stay. Jasmine met Geoffrey halfway, leaving Thane alone with Rift. He swallowed, doing his best to still the memories before they became too vivid, to real and consumed him.

"Sere Krios! You came!" Rift looked up, his arms still clinging tight to Thane.

He took a deep breath and forced a smile on his face. "Indeed." Thane squatted down in front of the boy, making him to look up to meet Rift's gaze. "Jasmine tells me you're moving to Earth, it sounds very exciting."

Rift bounced on the balls of his feet, his grin stretching from ear to ear. "I am! I'm gonna have a new dad and a new mom and sisters! I've never had sisters before. And Geoffrey—that's my new dad—he said we could get a puppy!"

Rift's excitement filled some of the hollow space inside of Thane and stilled his racing heart. "I'm very pleased for you, Rift. I'm sure you'll be quite happy with your new family."

Just as quickly as Rift's smile arrived, it suddenly reversed course, tears welling up in his eyes. "I'm going to miss you, Sere Krios. Geoffrey—I mean Dad said you could call me sometimes. Will you call me?"

"I … ." Thane didn't know what to say, he didn't have the words to explain to the child he'd be better off never hearing from Thane again.

"Rift, they're starting to board. We have to get back in line, it's time to go." Rift's new father walked up, Jasmine at his side, and settled a hand down on Rift's shoulder.

Rift turned to look at Geoffrey. Thane stood up, tucking his hands behind his back. Jasmine reached out, running her hand over Rift's hair, smoothing it back down before cupping his cheek, letting her thumb brush away his tears.

He smiled up at her before looking back to Thane. "Please?"

"I … ." Thane turned to Jasmine, and she gave him a sad smile. He glanced at Geoffrey, the man's gaze heavy with reserved judgement.

Rift tugged at Thane's jacket.

"If it is alright with your father," Thane said holding Geoffrey's weighted stare, "then yes, I will call you. I'd like that." And he knew he would.

Geoffrey smiled, his eyes softening as he extended his hand to Thane. Shifting his gaze to Jasmine once more, Thane found the warm smile filled her face again. She leaned into Geoffrey's side, pressing her shoulder against his, when Thane accepted the proffered hand to shake.

"So long as it's not past his bedtime," Geoffrey said.

"Bedtime!" Rift groaned dramatically.

Jasmine laughed, moving to stand next to Thane as Geoffrey led Rift back to the ship's queue. He could feel her eyes on him as he watched Rift disappear into the crowd once more. She leaned into him, much as she did a moment before with Geoffrey, nudging his shoulder with her own for a brief moment. He blinked in surprise, unsure of an appropriate response. Something warm and wet slid down his face, swiping his fingers over his cheek, he took them away again to stare at the wet smear in disbelief.

 _I'm coming undone, completely._

Her voice barely above a whisper, nearly lost in the din of the crowd of people moving to the ship, eased him back to the present. "Thane, I didn't realize how much he meant to you when I asked you to leave him alone. I was scared for him, you know that, don't you?"

He pulled his gaze from the tears on his hand to look at her, seeing fresh tears in her own eyes. He cleared his throat and dipped his head. "I do." He looked back out at the sea of faces, hoping to catch one last glimpse of Rift. After a moment, when it became evident he wouldn't see the boy again, he took a deep breath. They turned together, walking away from the docks.

He watched her in his peripheral. "You called me Thane."

She chuckled, keeping her gaze on the floor in front of her feet as she walked. "I did. 'Krios' felt a little too formal in the moment. Sorry."

He thought about it, tucking his hands behind his back as they effortlessly dodged the crowd. He liked hearing his name spoken aloud again, particularly by a voice filled with compassion. "No need, I don't mind." He smirked, glancing at her. "Shall I call you 'Jasmine,' now?"

She laughed, bumping her shoulder against his again. "Sure, if you want."


	11. Ryan Archer

**Ryan Archer**

Jasmine settled her crosshairs on the human bent over a crate on the warehouse floor down below. She swallowed against the knot in her throat and the trembling in her fingers as he used a small razor blade to slice through the red sand on the crate's polished surface, separating out the fine powder into neat little lines. Eight others gathered around him, their anticipation palpable as he sampled the shipment.

The irony of her current situation wasn't lost on her. She'd been fighting her own cravings for days, and now she lay on her perch about to kill a man in the process of saiting the same addiction. Maybe someone in the Alliance really did hope she'd fuck up and fall on her ass. It might just be the day for it to happen, but it damn well wouldn't be because she couldn't handle the sight of a little red sand.

The men and women surrounding her target weren't on her kill list, but after reading up on them she knew she wouldn't lose any sleep over them either. If they died in the warehouse along with her target, the galaxy would be a better place. Still, she wouldn't be putting them in her crosshairs unless her life depended on it. She'd rather have cornered her target alone, but Ryan Archer never seemed to be alone. She tracked him for four days, completely throwing herself into the job, desperate to distract herself from Rift's absence and the incessant itch of ants crawling under her skin.

If she had to put other lives at risk, she'd rather it be the group of drug and arms traffickers gathered below her than a crowd of innocent people out on the streets of the Citadel. Jasmine knew the moment she pulled her trigger, bullets would start flying at her from below. She picked a secure location, high up in the loft where she could pull back out of harm's way and make a break for the catwalks to get the hell out of there once her job was done. She'd worry about target verification later. By her estimates, they'd never even see who they were shooting at.

She held her breath as Archer pulled a small metal straw from his pocket and lifted it to his face. Easing the straw into his left nostril, he used the thumb of the same hand to hold his other nostril closed. Jasmine forced herself to breathe through it, licking her lips as Archer sucked up first one line, and then another of the red sand.

Straightening to his full height, Archer threw his head back. Mouth opened wide, gasping with the euphoria Jasmine remembered all too well, Archer pushed his shoulders back and squeezed his hands into fists. Miniscule tendrils of biotic energy flared to life, dancing and licking across his bare arms. She could almost taste the blue manna, metallic and bitter on the roof of her mouth. Lifting his head, Archer turned to unleash the energy on a desk chair a meter away, throwing it against a nearby wall.

The maniacal grin spreading across his face matched the edge of insanity dancing in his eyes. He turned back to the group, laughing and extending his hand to seal the deal. Jasmine lined up her shot, took a breath and squeezed the trigger. Archer's eyes bulged, his jaw going slack as a thin trickle of red spilled out of the hole in his forehead.

Jasmine used her elbows and knees to push herself back, her tank top sliding up in the process, dirt and grime scraping across her bare skin. Chaos broke out down below, the cacophony of angry shouting and weapons being fired filled the air. She pushed herself further back, not daring to stand until she felt certain she couldn't be targeted from the warehouse floor.

Lifting herself up to a crouch, she quickly collapsed her rifle, holstering it on her back. Ears straining for sounds of anyone approaching, Jasmine realized not a single shot came near her, not even to ricochet off the thick metal beneath her feet. She hesitated, torn between fleeing the scene and moving forward to peer over the edge. The shouting and gun report dwindled, fueling the fire of Jasmine's curiosity, keeping her glued to the center of the loft floor.

A few pounding beats of her heart later, the room fell silent, the only sound the roar of her own blood rushing through her veins. Jasmine crept forward, staying low to the floor and peered over the edge.

"Jesus Christ," she whispered, counting nine bodies scattered across the warehouse floor.

* * *

Thane just closed his omni-tool—having read and deleted the message from Beleno informing him the hanar were safely transported back to Kahje—when his omni-tool pinged again. He smiled, finding himself hoping it was Jasmine. They hadn't seen one another since the day they said goodbye to Rift, but she had messaged him twice asking for updates on the hanar. A third message came that morning, she'd forwarded him a video of Rift, squealing in delight as the small, golden-furred creature he called a 'puppy' wiggled in his arms and licked his face.

Thane opened his omni-tool, accepting the incoming video call—not from Jasmine, but Talak. The young, barefaced turian's image filled the screen, his mandibles flared in distress. Thane sat forward, staring at Talak intently, cold dread trickling down his spine.

"Sere Krios," Talak said turning his head to glance over his shoulder before continuing, "I thought you might want to know I saw Jasmine go into a warehouse awhile ago. There were a lot of gunshots and people yelling inside. She hasn't come back out yet, not that I've seen anyway."

"Where?" Thane bolted from the couch, making a beeline for his front door.

"I'll send you the address, it's in the Lower Wards. I've been listening to C-Sec's chatter, no one's called it in yet." Talak looked over his shoulder again. "You want me to stick around?"

"No, thank you. I'm on my way. You should go somewhere safe." Thane closed his omni-tool, cutting the call as he locked his door behind him.

He'd chosen his newest apartment in part because it was located very near a rapid transit stand. Grateful for that decision now, he called up a cab and climbed inside. Using his omni-tool to hack through the system, he disengaged the default settings to allow him to take manual control. Talak's message came through with the address as Thane lifted the skycar into the air, racing high above the flow of traffic toward Zakera Ward.

Fear of what he might find once he got there wrapped itself around his throat, threatening to close his airways. The ache in his chest flared to life, dull and throbbing. Fingers tightening on the steering, he accelerated the skycar, surpassing legal speed limits by half again as much. Images of a blood splattered apartment flashed in front of his eyes. Thane clenched his jaw and shoved them away.

 _Arashu, please have mercy. Keep her safe._

He landed the skycar at the closest rapid transit station, a few blocks away from the warehouse. As soon as the door opened, he darted from the skycar, not bothering to close the door, and ran, pushing his legs to carry him faster.

 _Amonkira, guide me._

Wailing sirens in the distance drew his attention to the air above. C-Sec were on their way, he had to be faster. He had to get to her before they did, and should the worst come to pass … he must return her body to her loved ones.

 _Kalahira, if I'm too late, guide her soul across the sea._

* * *

"Jasmine?" Thane's voice drifted to Jasmine's ears, barely cutting through the haze.

Still, she couldn't tear her eyes away from the crate in front of her. Kilos of red sand, neatly wrapped in clear plastic, called to her. Her whole body trembled … thoughts trembled with want, with need. Jasmine swallowed, her mouth and throat so dry they ached, but the feeling felt far away; a lifetime away.

 _This is all I've ever been. Did I really think I could escape this?_

Her hand moved, she didn't tell it to, but there it was nonetheless, reaching out for the one thing that would make her pain stop. It would make her forget Rift; forget Quin'Nal vas Usela and Leon, forget the sight of hanar crowded against one another in desperation, bullets flying, elcor rampaging. Forget the emptiness in her chest, and the face of Thane Krios. Blue energy surrounded the crate, lifting it up as if to meet her hand for one precious, fraction of a second before flying across the warehouse and shattering against the wall.

She gasped, panic welling up inside of her, clenching its greedy fists around her lungs and squeezing the breath out of her. Gentle fingers grazed her shoulder. Her eyelids fluttered closed, her head tilting toward the sensation.

"Jasmine, you must leave here. C-Sec has arrived." Thane's voice soaked through the panic, chasing away the darkness. "Please."

She dropped her head, shame washing over her, clearing the last of the fog enveloping her mind. Unable to meet his gaze, unable to bear the pity she thought she would surely see there, Jasmine activated her tactical cloak and ran. Ran from the red sand. Ran from the death and blood surrounding her. Ran from emerald eyes of Thane Krios.

* * *

The walls closed in on her. She couldn't sleep, couldn't eat, couldn't _breathe_. She hadn't felt like this in years. Jasmine found herself on her hands and knees, forehead pressed to the floor as tears dropped from her eyes to splash against the carpet. The little voice in the back of her head screamed at her, telling her she knew what she needed to do if she wanted to make it all go away.

 _God, why is this happening to me? What is wrong with me?_

Rift's smiling face floated behind her closed eyes, the jagged tear in her heart ripping a little further. Jasmine gasped, sucking in a wet, harsh breath. She crawled forward, scrambling for the bed to pull herself up and perched on the edge. Wrapping her arms around her stomach she leaned over, putting her head between her knees, forcing herself to take slow, deep breaths.

The wracking sobs subsiding, Jasmine rubbed tears from her cheeks, raw skin burning in protestation at the rough treatment. She stood, making her way to the refrigerator, finding only a near empty bottle of rum on the shelf inside. Barely more than a swallow inside; Jasmine dumped it down her throat anyway before tossing the bottle in the garbage.

She sat back down on the edge of her bed, shoving her feet back into her boots and sliding her jacket on over her arms. She stopped in the bathroom to glare at her reflection and splash water on her face before leaving her new apartment. She'd hoped moving to a new place after Rift left would help ease some of her cravings; a fresh start so to speak, in a place not haunted by memories of his smiling face. It only tore the hole in her chest wider.

A half an hour later, Jasmine couldn't say she was surprised to find herself standing in front of Thane's door. She'd meant to go to Chora's Den, drink until she couldn't walk straight, but somehow she ended up blankly staring at his door instead, debating on whether or not to knock.

* * *

Thane lay in bed, the darkness unable to save him from the memories of Jasmine's haunted face as she reached for the crate of red sand. Rolling to his back, he draped his arm over his forehead and stared at his ceiling, letting out a resignated sigh. As the hours passed, he prayed for her again and again, wishing nothing more than she'd call him and tell him she was alright.

He'd been terrified … truly terrified he'd find her dead in the warehouse. Although he'd been grateful to see her standing there, her targets lying dead at her feet while she remained unharmed, he now feared for her in a manner that somehow felt worse. It filled him with despair and helplessness. The evil hearts of men he could defend her from; wounds of flesh and bone he could help her mend … but this … this went beyond him; a wound of the soul only her god could heal. He didn't know how to help her, as much as he wanted to, and she fled from him.

His omni-tool beeped, flashing once to grab his attention. He sat up, opening it to see the apartment's security system alerting him to movement outside of his door. Throwing the covers aside, he slipped from the bed, not bothering to take the time to pull a shirt on before padding across the cool floor on bare feet. Making his way to the front door, he activated the security camera's monitor.

 _Jasmine … Thank you, Arashu. Thank you._

Watching as she chewed her lip, he hesitated to open the door. She hadn't knocked or rang the comm. If he opened the door before she did, would she flee from him again? Jasmine blew out a heavy breath and raked a hand over her hair, tangling her fingers in the dark mass, pulling strands free from their binding.

She spun on her heel, but before she could walk away, Thane's palm slammed into the door's control. The door slid open and she froze, her shoulders tense. Thane didn't speak, he didn't know what to even say. Tilting her head back, she let out a heavy sigh before turning to face him.

Her gaze swept over him, her neck and cheeks blushing a soft pink. "You were in bed … I'm sorry, I should go."

"I wasn't sleeping." The words sounded ridiculous to him; inane, but it kept her from leaving. Thane stepped aside, waving his hand out at the apartment. "Please, come in."

"I didn't realize how late it is. I just … ." Jasmine took a deep breath, her shoulders shuddering as she blew it back out. "I didn't kill all of them, just my target. They killed each other after that. And I didn't … I wasn't going to … ." She cleared her throat, dropping her eyes to her boots.

"I didn't think you were going to." Thane tucked his hands behind his back, fighting the urge to reach out to her.

Jasmine snorted and shook her head, her voice croaking. "Liar."

Thane licked his lips, trying again. "I hoped you wouldn't."

"Yeah, well anyway, I just wanted to make that clear." Jasmine's gaze roamed over him again, failing to meet his eyes in the process. "I'll get out of here, let you get back to bed." She took a step back, preparing to turn.

His hand darted out, possibly surprising him more than her, when he grabbed her wrist. Shocked by his own audacity, he stared at the offending hand before clearing his throat and pulling it away.

Tucking his hand back behind him he clenched it into a fist. "My apologies." Thane shifted, taking a step back. "I—You were upset with me," he said softly, hesitantly, unsure if it was the right path to take, "for not asking for help when I needed it."

Jasmine swallowed, her eyes shining with unshed tears. She shook her head. "This isn't something you can help me with."

"Allow me to try, please." Thane held her gaze, unblinking, praying she could hear the sincerity in his voice.

She pulled her lip between her teeth, scraping them across the fragile skin, her lip red and swollen when she finally let it go and shook her head, giving him a sad smile. "Thanks, but … it's really not something I think I can talk about."

Thane lifted his shoulder. "I don't have chocolate, but I have _cinuela_. We can talk about whatever you'd like."

Jasmine snorted and rubbed her eyes with thumb and forefinger. "And what if I want to talk about the color of leaves in the fall on Earth, or furry little kittens?"

"Then I'm afraid I won't have much to contribute to the conversation, but will gladly listen to you tell me about them." Thane smiled, knowing she tested him.

Jasmine dropped her hand, rubbing her fingers absently over her thigh before shoving both hands in the pockets of her jacket. "And what if I just want to know all about Thane Krios?"

His blood ran cold in his veins, and he sucked in a deep breath through his nose, catching her scent in the air. "Then I shall do my best to tell you about him … though, I can't promise to answer every question you might have."

Jasmine narrowed her eyes, studying him intently. "Why? Why would you want to help me with … this? Christ, why are you being so nice to me when I've been a colossal pain in your ass?"

His eyebrow twitched. "Colossal? I thought I'm supposed to be the arrogant one?"

Jasmine smirked but lifted her eyebrow, the sculpted, brown arch insisting that he answer her question.

Thane dropped his eyes, studying the stretch of floor between the two of them. "I'm afraid I don't have a simple answer for you." He met her gaze again. "But if you'd care to come inside, I'll see if I can find a way to adequately explain myself."

Sighing, she waved a hand at his bare chest. "Alright, but you've got to put a shirt on or something because right now I can't see all of _that_ without thinking of you as drugs in a neat package."

Thane blinked as she stepped past him into the apartment. He hadn't considered drell venom might be a temptation to her, many species enjoyed the effects recreationally but they were mild and not addictive. Drell venom was nothing like what he'd heard described of red sand. "Yes, of course. My apologies, I hadn't considered … ."

Jasmine shook her head as she walked down the hall. "Stop apologizing, Thane. I'm the one who's afraid I might get desperate enough to try and lick you."

A strangled sound escaped his throat before he could stop it, sputtering he coughed in his fist.

She grinned at him over her shoulder, mischief dancing in her eyes. "What do you know, you are helping. I don't think that'll ever get old."

"Colossal, indeed. I'd tell you to make yourself at home, but I'm afraid it would take a full year to clean up after you." Thane chuckled, pleased to see her mood already lifting. Closing the door and adjusting the lights so the apartment glowed dimly, he hoped the gentle light would help keep her calm and open to talking.

Her soft laughter trickled back down the hall as he left her to make her way to the living area while he ducked into his room to grab a loose linen shirt. He found her sitting on the couch, her jacket draped over her lap, absently running her hand back and forth across the cushion next to her creating swirls in the nap of the fabric. She turned her head, smiling at him when he entered the room. It pleased him, no longer unexpectedly, to see her smile at him so easily now, even while feeling so distressed.

He returned her smile, moving into the kitchen to put a pot of water on for _cinuela_. The soft scrape of her boot moving from carpet to tile alerted him to her presence. "Are you hungry?"

"I'm always hungry." Jasmine leaned against the doorframe. "But I doubt you have anything greasy enough to satisfy in there."

Thane chuckled, reaching into the cabinet and pulling out a bottle of herbal supplements. He sat the bottle down in front of Jasmine. "You would be correct, but I do have meats, fresh from the deli, cheeses, fruit … if you'd like."

Jasmine picked up the bottle, turning it over in her hand as she read the label. "Sure." She turned the bottle toward him. "What's this?"

"Ah." Thane ran a thumbnail across his brow, moving to the refrigeration unit. "After we were introduced to galactic society, the salarians studied drell venom, and found chemical compounds to counteract its effects." He pulled out several packages wrapped in butcher paper and laid them on the counter. "That's a common supplement sold—herbs found on Thessia—it contains those compounds."

He shrugged his shoulder, moving to a cabinet to retrieve the rolls he purchased at the bakery the morning before. "You picked up my glass the other night, at Le Bleu after drinking heavily at Chora's Den … I thought perhaps it might be beneficial for you … but then thought it might offend you, so I left them here instead."

He stopped to watch her as she twirled the cap around, chewing on her lip. Filling a glass with water, he set it on the counter in front of her. "Two capsules will provide you with a few hours of protection, or negate the effects within a few minutes in case of accidental ingestion … or if you find the urge to lick me too irresistible." Thane smirked, holding her gaze when she met his eyes. He let the humor fade from his voice before he continued. "Perhaps taking them now will ease your mind a little?"

Jasmine snorted, opening the bottle and dumping two of the pills into her hand. "Now I think you _want_ me to lick you." She tossed the supplements in her mouth and chased them down with water.

He scoffed and cleared his throat, turning away from her—hopefully before she could see the red of his frills darken. Busying himself with preparing food and drink for the two of them, he let the silence stretch, leaving her to fill it as she willed.

With his task completed, and the silence still lingering, Thane decided to give her answers to her earlier question. He picked up the tray with the tea, snickering as she struggled to work the bottle of pills into her too-tight pants pocket. She picked up the tray with their plates, following him to the dining table.

Pouring _cinuela_ into cups, he passed one to her, accepting a plate from her in return. "I've spent many years now lost to my battle sleep."

"Battle sleep?" Jasmine lifted the cup to her lips, blowing gently on her _cinuela_.

Thane leaned forward, turning his plate around to give him better access to the pile of diced _mahata_ fruit. "Surely you're familiar? With your chosen profession?" He looked up at her to see her watching him over the top of her cup, her eyebrow raised. "Mmm. The separation of body and soul, allowing the body to do as it's directed without concern?"

Her eyebrows twitched, understanding dawning in her eyes. She nodded, and lifted a shoulder. "For brief moments … though, it isn't always easily obtained. Certainly not for years at a time?"

"You are fully present when you take your target's lives?" Something in his mind shifted, pieces of a puzzle falling into place. It'd explain so much about her; certainly the sleeping pills and alcohol, if not her current struggle with her past drug abuse.

"Less and less so the longer I do my job, but certain circumstances still make it difficult for me to make that separation, yes." She took a sip. "I take it you don't have that problem anymore?"

Thane sat back in his chair, letting both sets of eyelids blink opened and closed several times. "It's never been an issue, perhaps it comes easier for drell. Our minds work very differently." He didn't tell her he chose to be present while he hunted down and killed the men responsible for his wife's death, but otherwise, not even his earliest kills touched his soul.

Jasmine smiled. "Oh, I don't know, I think we do a decent job relating to one another when we try."

Thane leaned forward again, resting his elbows on the table and clasped his hands together. "Indeed." He picked at his plate a moment. "Some things happened a few years ago, leaving me without reason to ever wish to leave my battle sleep. I was … content there, in my isolation, unfeeling." He lifted his eyes to hers once more. "Until I met you."

Jasmine froze with a piece of cheese halfway to her mouth. Slowly, she lowered it back to her plate and leaned back in her chair, a slight tilt to her head as she watched him.

"Needless to say, knowing you has made it quite difficult to remain indifferent to the world around me. I confess, at first it did nothing to endear you in my eyes. Your persistence, your … fire, there demanding to be seen, to be heard … I thought the gods sent you to punish me." Thane raked his thumbnail over his brow, letting his eyes drop to his plate. "Emotions began breaking through. Annoyance, fear, anger … pain. Memories I didn't want to be forced to deal with … moments of my past. I prefered dealing with them on my own terms, in my own way. Now, I'm finding it less and less under my control."

Jasmine frowned, picking up her cup to hold in front of her face, sipping here and there but never putting the cup back down. Grateful she didn't speak, giving him the time to process his thoughts, he took a moment to do just that before continuing.

"Still, the more I observed you, the more I realized you possessed certain qualities I admired. The depth of which you cared for Rift … and seeing how attached he'd grown to you. Your stubborn willingness to risk your life for him." Thane lifted his shoulder in a shrug, blinking away memories of Jasmine. Fighting against the way they tugged at memories of Irikah, he refocused his thoughts on what he wanted to say.

"But with the bad, so comes the good. Pleasant memories, still painful in their own right, but a reminder … I've been doing a great injustice to others by only remembering the ways I failed them." Thane cleared his throat, swallowing against the knot trying to choke him.

"My own fondness for Rift and the other drala'fa became apparent. I began seeing you less as an adversary and more as a mystery to be solved. Or perhaps a chance at redemption. If I could convince you the path you're on wasn't in your best interest … If I could save you from losing everything as I did." Thane scoffed and shook his head. "I only succeeded in offending you further … perhaps pushing your further down your path and putting you in danger."

The air felt heavy in his lungs, the dull ache in his chest threatening to rear its head once more. "I digress. I suppose the simple answer would be: I'm nice to you because I've come to care about your well being and it pleases me to do so."

Jasmine settled her cup back onto the saucer and pulled her leg up, bracing her foot on the edge of the chair. She wrapped her arms around her knee, pressing it to her chest and picked at the _mahata_ on her plate. Chewing thoughtfully, as she cast flitting glances at Thane.

After a moment she smiled and cleared her throat. "Well, I can't even say you're the first person to think being roped with me was a punishment." She chuckled, the sound hollow. "Though I don't think anyone's ever thought they could find redemption through me." She picked at the food on her plate, tearing a piece of _elyine_ meat into bite sized pieces. "Thane, you've got to know that my life, my choices and mistakes are mine to make. I can't pretend to understand whatever it is you've been running from, but you're not the only one with demons. You can't fix me; it's on me to do … and it sounds like your energy would be better spent trying to fix yourself."

Jasmine popped a piece of the _mahata_ in her mouth, chewed twice and smirked. "But uh, if it helps, I like you better this way, and if fills my twisted little heart with glee knowing I got under your skin without even realizing it."

Thane scoffed but smiled, pouring them both fresh _cinuela_.

"Though, knowing it actually hurt you takes some of the joy out of it." She cleared her throat, changing the subject. "So, you said a few years … how long exactly have you been doing this work?" Jasmine lifted the cup to her lips, blowing across the surface.

"I first began my training twenty-six years ago." Thane waved a hand at nothing, picking up his own mug. "I spent some time doing other work, an attempt to leave this life behind. Inevitably, I found my way back to what I do best. It's all I really know."

Jasmine sputtered, nearly choking on her tea. "Twenty-six years? Christ, how old are you?"

Thane laughed and handed her a cloth napkin. "I will soon be thirty-three. And you?"

Jasmine's mouth hung open, her eyes wide. "Just turned twenty-five." She shook her head. "Wait. You started training to be an assassin at six-years-old?"

 _You're still so young, even more so being human._

"Indeed." Thane folded his hands on the table.

Jasmine plopped back against her chair, pulling her other leg up to rest both feet on the seat. "God, I thought I had a fucked up childhood."

"It wasn't as bad as you might imagine. My family is a part of the Compact, and they gave me to the hanar to serve as part of that. It's an honor, and I was well cared for." Thane smiled, trying to reassure her.

Jasmine covered her mouth with the napkin and stared at him, unblinking for nearly a minute.

Thane shifted, uncomfortable under the weight of her gaze and lifted his cup to his lips. "Will you tell me about it?"

"About what?" Jasmine dropped the napkin back to the table.

"Your childhood." He took a swallow of his tea before setting the cup back down. "If you're comfortable sharing."

"Uh… ." Jasmine croaked, the strangled sound dragging the word out. "Uh, yeah. Okay. Um, well the first few years were pretty normal I guess. Nothing major. I had a mom and a dad, a dog named Max." Jasmine lifted her shoulder. "Then at about five or six my father had an affair with the lady next door. Things got really ugly between my parents over the next few years."

She took a sip of her _cinuela_. "At eleven, my dad walked out on us. Just left, and never came back." She settled the cup on her knees, letting her gaze roam over the room, looking everywhere but at Thane.

He winced, lifting his cup with trembling fingers to hide his face; to hide his shame.

"My mom couldn't handle it, she killed herself about a month later. I came home from school one day and found her dead on the bathroom floor." Jasmine swallowed. "There was so much blood. I'd never seen so much blood before."

 _So much blood._

Thane bit down on his tongue, begging Arashu not to allow him to give voice to the memories he couldn't fight back. Jasmine's voice still reached him, but her words barely cut through the horror surrounding him.

She cleared her throat. "They put me in foster care, but I had trouble adjusting, and I ran away. Ended up living on the streets. About a year later I learned my father died in a plane crash."

Thane blinked, the images of his blood soaked apartment fading away once more, leaving him exhausted and rattled to his core. A part of him insisted he make her leave. Too much, she pulled too much from him, and she was going to destroy him. He found he couldn't though, not with her making herself so vulnerable to him; sharing her secrets, letting him see her soul.

Jasmine drained the rest of the tea in her cup before setting it back on the saucer. "I managed on my own. Did some things I'm less than proud of to survive. Then later, some things I'm completely ashamed of to keep red sand in my system." Jasmine ran a hand over the top of her head, smoothing down her hair.

"I met Geoffrey when, at seventeen, I got attacked by some assholes a few blocks from the Alliance recruitment office he worked at. He uh, he saved me. Then he took me into his home, and his wife helped me get sober." She smiled, turning her attention back to him. "They're good people; they'll take excellent care of Rift."

Thane swallowed hard, using his cup again to hide the emotion. He cleared his throat, assuring himself his voice would be steady when he spoke. "You care for them greatly."

"I do." Jasmine fidgeted with her cup, using the handle to turn it back and forth on the saucer. "I know this isn't the life he wanted for me … and oh, he was so proud when I told him I wanted to enlist, but we both know this is still far better than what I would've had without Geoffrey and his family."

"He knows what you do?" Thane's brow twitched.

"Yeah." Jasmine tapped the side of her cup with her index finger. "My handler wasn't happy about it, but he knew me well enough to understand keeping that honest connection with Geoffrey was … necessary. Karin and the girls don't know, of course. They only know whatever I do is classified … I think it would break Karin's heart." Jasmine shook her head and drained her cup. "I really shouldn't be talking about this; about them."

Jasmine dropped her feet to the floor and stood up. "I should go. Thank you, though." She waved her hand at the contents of the table. "For all of this. It actually did help. It's nice, you know, to just sit and talk. Get out of my own head for awhile, but it's late."

Thane stood, blinking as he processed her sudden shift in behavior. She was fleeing from him again, and he hated the relief it brought. Jasmine smiled in his general direction, moving past him to retrieve her jacket still on the couch. Thane followed her, watching as she slipped her jacket on. Pulling the bottle of herbal supplement free of her pants pocket, she turned it over in her palm, her brow furrowing as she shoved it in her jacket pocket and zipped it closed.

Thane took a hesitant steps closer, stopping when she turned to face him. "Jasmine, I understand your hesitancy to speak about your family—"

She shook her head, avoiding his gaze. "They aren't … they aren't my family."

"They are, and you love them dearly otherwise you wouldn't be in such a hurry to leave now." Thane frowned, sympathy for her a crushing weight on his shoulders. "I hope you know they are safe from me, and I won't betray the trust you've shown me tonight."

Jasmine took a deep breath and met his gaze. "I really want to believe you."

"You have my word." Thane extended his hand to her, nearly pulling it back when she stared at it without accepting.

Jasmine swallowed, nodding her head and slipped her hand into his. "Thank you."

Thane dipped his head to her before walking her to the door.

Jasmine reached for the door controls and stopped, chuckling as she turned back to him. "You should be careful, things keep going like this and I might actually stop thinking you're an arrogant ass."

Thane scoffed. "And I might stop thinking you're an obstinate child in need of time out."

Jasmine tilted her head back in laughter. "See, you had the perfect opportunity there to say 'spanking' and you totally missed it. Christ, I've taught you nothing."

Thane blinked, tilting his head to the side. "I'm afraid I don't understand."

Jasmine grinned, mischief sparkling in her eyes. "Goodnight, Thane."

He frowned, even more confused by her lack of explanation. "Goodnight, Jasmine."


	12. Michael Winston

**A/N:** It's been brought to my attention that the beginning of this chapter might be particularly upsetting to some people. So, I would like to warn you that there are scenes with graphic violence between a male and a female, with the apparent intent of sexual assault and/or murder.

 **Michael Winston**

 _Michael Winston threw his arm over Jasmine's shoulder. "Jewel, there you are. So, some of the guys are having a party on campus tonight. You in?"_

 _Jasmine turned her head to look up at the man she knew to be The Prophet, and she plastered a smile on her face even as she suppressed a shudder. "Yeah, sure! What time?"_

" _Seven? 'Til whenever?" Winston shrugged. "Oh, hey! Look, there's James. Come here, I want you to meet him."_

 _Jasmine glanced in the direction Winston pointed, feigning the need to search through the crowd to figure out who he pointed at. She let her eyes skim past Leon twice before settling on him. Still, she couldn't keep the corners of her mouth from twitching when she took in his broad shoulders and mane of golden, curly hair._

Jasmine tossed in the bed, the sheets twisting around her thighs.

" _Where are we going?" Jasmine could feel her heart rate already increasing. Her fingers itched to check that her knives were still secured at her lower back._

 _Winston lead her through the noise filled streets surrounding NYU's campus. The party dragged on long into the night; still in full swing when Winston grabbed her hand and led her from the frat house. She reminded herself that Leon wouldn't be far. He'd be in the shadows somewhere, following them, watching her. She fought back the urge to search the dark alleys for her lover's face, desperately wishing she could walk away from this and tell him she couldn't do it … but Jasmine would never, ever walk away from a challenge. If the Alliance—and more importantly—Leon thought she could do this, then she would damn sure do it._

She groaned, throwing an arm out to slap against the mattress.

 _He had her against the wall, running his tongue down the outside of her throat. His hands groping at her chest, his thigh shoved between her legs. "Whore," Winston whispered in Jasmine's ear._

" _Michael!" Jasmine raised her voice, shoving at his chest. Her hand creeping up her leg to reach her knives. He pressed her so close to the wall, she could feel them digging into her back, but she couldn't quite reach them._

 _His hands clamped down around her throat, and he shook her. "Whore!"_

 _Jasmine gasped for air, all thoughts of her training and her job fleeing her mind. Leon's face watched her from the shadows, his eyes narrowed. Her hands scrambled for Winston's, prying desperately at his fingers. He lifted her, sliding her back against the wall, her toes barely making contact with the floor, and he pulled her back, slamming her hard against the wall. Jasmine's head cracked against the cement with a sickening thud. Darkness stole her vision, her head swimming, pain lancing through her skull._

" _You're a filthy fucking whore. A jezebel. Just like all the others." His hot breath hissed against her ear._

 _Jasmine lifted her knee, driving it toward his groin only to have him twist his leg to block her._

She sucked in a desperate gasp, fingers clawing at her own throat.

 _Winston kicked her in the stomach, spittle flying from his lips as he yelled at her over and over again. "Whore!" Kick. "Whore!" Kick. "Worthless fucking whore!" Kick._

 _Jasmine rolled to the side, slamming her foot out, catching him in the knee. Winston dropped to the ground, gasping in pain and shock. Jasmine pulled herself up on all fours, her eyes catching Leon's. He leaned against the wall, barely hidden in the shadows now, arms crossed over his chest. Leon smiled at her and nodded his head._

 _She reached behind her, a wail of pain escaping her lips as she drew one of her knives. Winston was pulling himself back to his feet. She had to do it now, or he'd kill her … and Leon would watch. God, why wasn't he helping her?_

 _Jasmine scrambled forward, pulling herself up to her knees and knotted her fist in the back of Winston's hair, keeping him from rising to his feet. "I'm not your fucking whore." She stabbed him, low in the kidney. "You sick sonofabitch." She stabbed him again, her blade entering his lung. She could hear the hiss of air seeping out, bubbling blood to splatter against her chest. "Fuck you, asshole." She pulled her arm back and rammed her knife in again, feeling the blade scrape across bone, sinking into his heart._

Jasmine flailed, throwing her palms against the mattress to push herself upright. Her heart slammed against her chest over and over again as she sucked in ragged breaths of air. Gaze darting all over the apartment, she reached for her pistol, catching herself before she could pick it up. She raked her hands through her hair before the tears clouded her vision. "Fuck."

* * *

The pain in her ribs became a little too insistent for her to continue to ignore on her fifth loop around. Jasmine slowed to a jog, continuing another quarter of the way around the track before dropping her speed to a walk. Finishing the loop, she stopped and leaned against the safety railing, looking down over the gym floor below. She winced, lowering her head to to rest against the metal and took in slow, deliberate breaths, letting her heart rate drop.

Sweat slid through her hair and down her temple to seep into the corner of her eye, stinging. She rubbed her eye across her arm and stood upright. "Ow." Silently, she cursed whoever ' _IAmTheWalrus'_ was and their need to drudge up one of the worst moments in her career, posting about it on ' _Assassins Unveiled,'_ and triggering nightmares she couldn't shake.

 _Why the hell would they even post that shit? It's ancient. They really think someone's going to solve the mystery after four fucking years? Right. Because I really needed to remember that sick fuck._

Maybe she'd contact Leon, ask him to have the post about The Prophet taken off of ' _Assassins Unveiled.'_ He'd probably think she was overreacting, it didn't identify her in any way, but still, she didn't like seeing it up there. Obviously, it was causing her problems.

 _If I do that, though … he'll want to talk about it again. And he'll end up seeing that I'm on there all the time recreationally. It'll be pretty hard to explain away discussing my underwear and what my hair smells like with Ares._

Jasmine paced back and forth, glancing back down to the gym when the doors opened and a group of marines came in, laughing and rough housing with one another. That was her cue to go, she was definitely not in the mood for conversation or cat calls. She made her way back to the door that opened up on a flight of stairs leading down to the main floor, stopping to grab her bag and towel from the floor along the way. Running the towel over her face and neck, she draped it over her shoulders and made her way down the stairs.

"Hey, Salazar! Wait up!" The marine's voice, she recognized as Denver, echoed across the gym, followed by the sound of footsteps pounding over the floor.

"Shit." Jasmine turned, smiling as she lifted her arm at Service Chief Mark Denver and waved. She liked him too much to just ignore him and walk away. He was one of the few at the Alliance training center that didn't treat her like a potential lay.

He slowed to a jog as he neared. Coming to a stop in front of her, he ran a hand over his chestnut colored buzzcut and smiled. "Haven't seen you in a couple of weeks." He glanced down, shifting a basketball in his hands and froze.

Jasmine followed his gaze to the still fading bruises covering the expanse of skin between the hem of her sports bra and shorts. Her lips pressed into a fine line, cursing herself for taking off her tank top on the track. The bruises on her face faded to a shade that blended with her skintone, unless she stood under bright lights, but makeup covered that easy enough. The cut on her lip disappeared completely, but cracked ribs took a little longer to heal. She looked back up at him to find him looking at her face, brown eyes narrowed.

 _Is the light in here bright enough?_

"Looks like someone put you through the ringer, Salazar. You alright?" Denver passed the ball back and forth between his hands.

Jasmine reached into her bag, digging out her tanktop before dropping the bag next to her feet. "I'm good, nothing for you to worry about." She pulled the tanktop on, tugging her hair and the towel free.

"You sure? Because me and the boys will gladly go kick someone's ass if you want. I mean, you're one of ours, and we look out for our own." He grinned at her. "Just say the word."

Jasmine snorted and shook her head. "I appreciate the offer, Denver, but I don't need your court martial or demotion hanging over my head." She smirked. "Besides, what makes you think I didn't already take care of the job?"

Denver laughed, holding a hand up in surrender. "Alright, alright. I'm tracking with you." He resumed tossing the ball back and forth between his hands. "Well damn, I was going to see if you wanted to play some ball with us but it looks like that might not be the best idea."

An easy smile spread across her lips, and she shook her head. "Give me a raincheck?"

"You got it. Take it easy, Salazar. I'll catch you later." Denver saluted her, waiting long enough for her to return the gesture before turning on the balls of his feet and running back to his fellow marines.

* * *

"We're … friends now, right?" Jasmine opened her water bottle, spinning the cap around in her fingertips before glancing at Thane. She'd barely made it out of the Alliance training facility before she'd made up her mind to pay him a visit.

Thane chuckled. "Do friends get sweat all over each other's furniture?"

Jasmine threw the cap from her bottle at him, scrunching up her nose when he caught it without blinking. "It's not like you're not going to move again in a couple of days."

He grinned, taking a few steps closer before leaning down to drop the cap on the coffee table in front of her. "Indeed. And I suspect it will be two days after that before you knock on my door again."

"How else am I supposed to rub it in your face that I can find you?" Jasmine flashed her teeth in a smile.

"Ah. Perhaps you'll tell me how it is you do keep finding me?" Thane moved around the table to sit at the opposite end of the couch.

Jasmine followed him with her eyes, turning in her seat to face him. "Sure, when you tell me how it is you keep finding me."

 _Christ, he's sexy … No, nope. Uh uh. We're not going there, remember?_

Thane tapped his fingers on the arm of the couch, the corner of his mouth lifting in a lazy smirk. "Friends … yes, I suppose we are." He shifted, turning a little more toward her. His head tilting to the side. "Why do you ask now?"

His smile sent butterflies fluttering in her stomach, and the soft rasp of his voice felt like a live wire to her nerves. She cleared her throat and rubbed her fingertips across her forehead.

"I may need to ask a favor," Jasmine said, dragging out the first part of the sentence, she ended it with an uptick, making it sound like more like a question than a statement.

His brow twitched, and he turned further to face her. "How can I help?"

Jasmine drained half of her water, grabbing the lid from the table and twisting the cap back on. "There's another thread on ' _Assassins Unveiled'_ that I'd very much like to _not_ be there."

"About you?" Thane stood, moving around the couch to sit at his desk, opening his laptop.

"Yeah." Jasmine followed him, standing next to the corner of the desk.

Thane logged on to ' _Assassins Unveiled'_. "Your handler won't remove it for you?"

Jasmine pursed her lips and picked at the edge of his desk.

Thane looked up at her when she didn't answer. "Jasmine?"

"I … I don't want to have to ask him." Jasmine lifted her shoulder. "So, I thought maybe you'd be willing to take care of it for me."

Thane blinked at her, his green irises just visible beneath the darkened layer. "I usually don't deal with these matters myself. You're comfortable with having my contact deal with it?"

Jasmine chewed on her lip. "They got rid of the last one?"

"Indeed." Thane held her gaze.

"What'd it cost you?" Jasmine raised an eyebrow.

"Ah, nothing you should concern yourself with." Thane waved his hand, brushing aside the question.

"Well, I'm the one asking this time so whatever it is, you've got to let me take care of it." Jasmine pushed, raising her other eyebrow.

"I don't think that's how favors work." Thane chuckled.

Jasmine rolled her eyes, ignoring the way his gaze made a pitter patter in her chest. "Alright, whatever. Yeah, if you can get your contact to make it go away, I'd greatly appreciate it."

Thane smiled and stood up, moving away from the chair. Gesturing toward the laptop he said, "Show me this thread."

After his comment about her getting sweat on his furniture, Jasmine felt self-conscious enough to not sit in his desk chair. Instead she pushed it aside, and ignoring the protest in her ribs, bent at the waist to rest her forearms on the desk as she typed.

* * *

Thane took a step back, putting a little more distance between himself and Jasmine as she bent over the desk. The soft curve of her shoulder, the dip of her spine … the roundness of her hips … Thane cleared his throat as quietly as he could and looked away, focusing his attention over her shoulder on the laptop screen, tucking his hands behind his back.

Jasmine finished and took a step back, turning to face him. Something dark flashed in her eyes when she met his gaze. It disappeared too quickly for him to give a name to, but not so quick that he didn't want to reach out to her, offer her whatever comfort she might find in his arms.

She moved away from the chair, waving him to the computer. "This one."

Thane dipped his head, moving past her to reclaim his chair. Jasmine paced away from him, returning to the couch to drink her water. He watched her over his shoulder as she fidgeted with the bottle cap before turning his attention to the screen.

He read through the thread three times, trying to understand why Jasmine was so bothered by the post. If anything, if this was indeed her work, he expected she'd be proud. The Prophet sounded like quite the quarry to take down, especially for one so early in their career.

Thane turned his chair to face Jasmine. "I don't understand, I see nothing here that could be used to identify you?"

"Uh, yeah. I know. That's not my concern." Jasmine stood, returning to stand next to him. "It's uh … the unpleasant memories it dragged up." She bit her lip.

Thane glanced back to the laptop, if for no other reason than to keep himself from staring at her lip pinched between her teeth. "I see." He understood unpleasant memories all too well, and if he could help ease her mind, he would do so gladly. He turned back to look up into her rainforest colored eyes. "I'll have it taken care of, consider it done."

He could see the worry fade, leaving her eyes bright and sparkling in the light cast from the lamp on his desk. She smiled, and he couldn't help but to do the same. Settling her hand on his shoulder, she squeezed gently before letting her fingers slipped away … and he wished she'd put them back.

"Thank you." Jasmine wandered back over to the couch, squatting to pick up her gym bag. "I should get out of here, go take a shower." She grinned at him. "I don't want to get sweat all over _my_ furniture."

Thane laughed and stood, following her to the door. "I'll let you know when I've received confirmation."

Jasmine stopped, nearly causing him to bump into her, and turned to face him. "You should do something to let me say thank you. Are you busy tonight? You could stop by, and I'll make you dinner. Maybe we can call Rift?"

 _I'd be delighted._

Thane smirked. "You can cook?"

"You know … you really don't have to act so surprised." Jasmine shook her head, her hair swinging gently from side to side.

He chuckled and dipped his head. "I'd like that."

"Great!" Excitement filled her eyes. "Just whenever you're ready. Message me about a half hour before you head out?"

"I'll do that." Looking into her eyes, his couldn't help but to smile.

* * *

Thane watched his screen in silence as the other drell, Theodus, accessed ' _Assassins Unveiled'_. He read over the thread, his eyes darting back to Thane in confusion. Leaning back in his chair, he folded his hands over his abdomen, swiveling the chair slowly from side to side.

Thane tilted his head. "Is there a problem?"

"This isn't about you, Krios. It's about that human woman who was tracking you, isn't it? Why bring this to me?" Theodus leaned forward, studying Thane's face.

Thane let a slow breath seep from between his lips. "She asked for my help."

Theodus raised his brow ridges. "She asked for your help? She was spying on you … and now she's asking for your help?"

Thane spread his hands apart and shrugged before bringing them back together again in front of his face. "I'll agree to a higher fee, if you'd like."

Theodus sat back in his chair again and shook his head. "I'm not asking for more credits; I'm trying to understand why you're helping her? Why you're asking me to help her? I thought she was someone you wanted to get rid of?"

"The circumstances have changed." Thane lifted his shoulder again.

He trusted Theodus as much as he trusted anyone he paid to handle things for him, but he didn't exactly consider the other drell to be his friend. Their working relationship didn't entitle Theodus to insight into Thane's rationale, only credits for his time and services. One of the best at what he did, Theodus was also discreet and charged reasonable rates, but sometimes his curiosity got the better of him, and he asked too many questions for Thane's taste.

Theodus held his hands up in surrender. "Alright. I'll do it. Although, if this is going to become a habit of yours, you might consider introducing us. Let her come to me herself next time, it'll save you some credits."

Thane chuckled, relief easing tense muscles in his back. "I'll take that under advisement. Thank you."

"Sure. It'll be a couple of days, I've got other clients and this doesn't look urgent. Nothing there to identify her really … hardly seems worth the cost. Are you sure you want to pay for this?" Theodus arched his brow, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"I'm certain, and I'm sure she'll understand the delay." Thane dipped his head at Theodus. "Please contact me when it is done."

"Of course." Theodus nodded, lifting a hand in a wave before cutting the call.

Thane stared at the laptop for a few minutes, unmoving. Glancing at the time, he frowned realizing it was still so early in the day. It would be hours still before he could justify going to Jasmine's apartment for dinner. Perhaps he could message her, though. He did tell her he'd let her know when he received confirmation … but he could just as easily do that in person when he went to see her. He could wait. Nevermind that fact that he felt … whatever it was that he felt for her.

 _You know what this feeling is, you've felt it before. You—I do the both of us an injustice by pretending it doesn't exist._

Breath catching in his throat, he closed his eyes and pressed his palms against his lids. Unbidden, Jasmine's smiling face danced before him. He shouldn't be thinking of her, seeing her when he closed his eyes. He shouldn't be feeling this, not when Irikah died because he dared to love her. Shame washed over him in thick, bitter waves, trying to coax memories of Irikah free from his mind.

What would she think of him now; watching him from across the sea? He'd abandoned her and their son, allowed his confidence to make him complacent. He left his family for too long of stretches at a time. Irikah died because he wasn't there to protect her, because men hated him enough to take from him the one woman he'd ever loved … and here his heart was opening to another. He'd left their son behind, only to let the absence of another child bring him to tears. Did she feel betrayed? Did she curse his name from the distant shores? When his time came, would she welcome him with open arms the way he remembered her doing so many times when he returned home after long months absent?

 _I'm sorry, Irikah._

Was this why the gods put Jasmine in his path? A punishment afterall?

 _It doesn't feel like a punishment when I'm with her._

" _Have you ever truly lived your life?"_ Irikah's words filled his ears, distant memories resurfacing once more.

Thane sat back in the chair, allowing the memory to consume him.

 _Music. Soft, barely at the edges of consciousness. Gentle voices singing of a lover's embrace. A woman laughs, three tables to the right. Dishes clatter. Silverware scraping across ceramic. So many people. I can't keep track. Only one that matters._

 _Her finger dances over the candle's flame. She sighs. Her breath sweet, like music to my ears. How did I manage to convince her to come here tonight? Light illuminates her scales. Prismatic colors reflect off gold wrapped around her delicate wrist. She cups her cheek. What would it feel like to touch her face? Her gaze meets mine. Pale green irises reveal themselves behind sunset colored ocular scales. The most beautiful I've ever seen._

" _But were you ever given the choice? That's all I'm trying to say. Have you ever truly lived your life?"_

 _I look away. I know she's right. It's an honor to serve the Compact, but to be given over to it so young. It was never my choice. Would I have chosen differently? I can't imagine that I would've. Yet here, now … I find myself wondering what life I might live. She smiles at me, and all thoughts flee my mind._

" _You could find happiness, Thane, if you let yourself."_

Thane smiled, bittersweet nostalgia tainted by the pang of guilt washing the memory away. "I never thought to find it once, how can I have found it a second time? Would she even have me? One so different from her?"

 _I watch her reflection. Her back turned to me. I could step in and snap her neck before she thinks to turn. She shifts her weight from foot to foot. Her focus on the man on her omni-tool. I can barely hear her over the music and the crowd. "He uh… he mentioned a contract but that's all I know." She turns, looking over her shoulder. I see her face clearly in the polished surface. She looks … concerned. I'm unable to make out the features of the man she speaks with._

" _Can you describe him for me?" His persistence endangers her life. I don't wish to kill her, but will if I must. My muscles coil, prepared to strike. She will be dead before she can describe me. Approach from the left to avoid the omni-tool's view. "Sure, he looked like a giant, fit gecko." I don't know this word. It surprises me. I hesitate. She rubs her forehead. Her shoulders tense beneath black leather. "He was a drell, that's about all I got." Her lie confuses me._

"Fit gecko." Thane shook his head, leaning forward in his chair and rubbing his hands over his face. "But still …."

 _Shepard makes her way back to the table. Tight blue jeans outlining the long lines and lean muscles of her legs. Ruffled, blue blouse camouflages the bandages wrapping her ribs. She favors her right side. Still forcing herself upright. Spine stiff, head held high. The crowd parts before her. Men and women alike watch her as she moves. She doesn't seem to notice them. I know I should keep my eyes on Ares. He's unknown. A potential threat. I watch her anyway. Her eyes find mine, and her face lights up with a smile. For a moment, there is no one but her. My breath catches in my throat. It's only relief that she no longer seems ill at ease._

Lips lifting in a smile, Thane takes a heavy breath before letting that memory fade and pulling up another.

 _Her head tilts back. Black hair sweeping over her shoulders. Laughter escapes her lips. I close my eyes and smile. It should alarm me how much I've come to enjoy this sound. Sickness grips me, twisting my stomach as I recall how close she came to death. How close I came to never hearing this sound again. I clear my throat. The thoughts and emotions making me uncomfortable. I tell myself it's only the shock of being ripped from my battle sleep._

 _She glances at me and smiles. Warm. Comforting. Her eyelids flutter, her gaze shifting. Looks at the bowl sitting in front of me. Diced mixed fruit still untouched. She reaches out and grabs a piece. Bare fingers slick with juice. I raise a brow, but don't deny her. She slides it between her lips. Grins at me. I remind myself she's only behaving this way because she's intoxicated._

Thane groaned, scrubbing his hands over his face again as he began to question his sanity.

 _She uses her fork to steal another piece of fruit. Dips it in the chocolate syrup on her plate before eating it. Eyes flutter closed. She moans. Turns her attention to Ares and smiles. He chuckles at her. She steals another. Dips it again. Leans toward me, holding the fork out to me. I'm shocked. Heat rushes to my frills. Eyes open wide. I lean back, shaking my head. Surely she doesn't understand what she offers. "You seem to be enjoying that. I'll leave you to it." She shrugs, returning the fork to her own mouth. I swallow._

More memories rose to the surface, unbidden but not entirely unwelcome. Thane let them wash over him, his lips lifting in a smile every time he recalled one of hers. Chuckling with her jokes; feeling his heartbeat stutter in his chest with every memory of every innocent touch. He felt again their shared pain of watching Rift leave, and he felt the pressing need to comfort her while she struggled with the things that haunted her. He spoke the word 'friend' aloud, feeling it sour on his tongue just as it did the first time.

Finally, no less confused than before he allowed the memories to begin, Thane pushed them away and stood. Stretching his arms above his head he realized hours had passed, and yet it still wasn't nearly late enough for him to go to her apartment. His stomach grumbled in protestation at his neglecting to eat a midday meal. Thane prepared himself a light snack to quiet the rumbling in his stomach, standing at the kitchen counter to eat before washing and drying his dishes.

Moving into his bedroom where he had more open space, he took off his jacket and vest, draping them over the edge of the bed. He started with light stretches, loosening his muscles before running through a series of katas. Punching and kicking at empty air until his arms and legs burned with the exertion, he cleared his mind.

Feeling centered once more, he returned to his desk, only to immediately realize his mistake. The laptop remained opened, the ' _Assassins Unveiled'_ thread that brought Jasmine to his door staring him in the face. He couldn't help but notice that the comment count on the thread had grown since he last looked. Thane shook his head, dismayed with his own stubborn persistence in thinking about the woman. His friend. It had been so long since he'd had a friend.

He clicked on the comments section, the thread unfolding to reveal a long list of replies. His brow twitched when he spotted Jasmine's username, ' _TellMeNow360'_ among them. Unsurprised, he found that most of her comments were a disturbing mix of playful banter and shameless flirting with other users; Ares among them. His fingers twitched, reaching for the keyboard.

 _I shouldn't._

And yet he did. Thane clicked on one of Jasmine's comments and hit 'reply.' It didn't take long for her to become frustrated with him, sending back snide replies to his baiting. He chuckled as Ares joined in, teasing and taunting Thane under the guise of ' _WhatIsThePointOfThis.'_ He began dropping hints to Jasmine, phrases they'd used in conversation that he suspected she would pick up on with ease without revealing publicly that they knew each other outside of the forum. It took him several responses to realize that she knew quite well who she was talking too, but enjoyed toying with him.

He grinned with the realization, understanding that she was far more skilled at manipulating this particular medium than he. Perhaps he would compliment her on it when he saw her for dinner. Tracking her through the threads, they played cat and mouse with one another. He left comments on replies she'd left days before, in some cases even weeks. He even left a few for Ares and gave some poor soul a hard time over their atrocious language skills. He was beginning to see why she spent so much of her free time on the website, even stopping to read some of the original posts.

" _Ohhhhh ... I have a feeling this associate of yours is going to kick your ass one of these days."_ Jasmine replied to one comment, alluding to another where he referred to her as his 'associate.'

He smirked, imagining the vexed look on her face. " _She's welcome to try ... again."_

" _I'd be willing to bet you've underestimated her."_

Memories of her perched in the rafters, her sniper rifle trained on the elcor crept to the surface of his mind. " _Perhaps once, but no longer, I assure you."_

Mere seconds past before her reply appeared. " _Maybe you should tell her that."_

" _Perhaps, when she's ready to hear it."_ Thane steepled his fingers, waiting for her response.

" _What makes you think she's not ready to hear it?"_ Again, her response was swifter than expected. He had her full attention.

Thane grinned, pleased by the discovery. " _She's rather fond of threatening people with violence and food."_

" _Maybe you just bring that out in her?"_

Thane laughed, easily able to see her smirk. " _Couldn't be, I'm far too kind of an individual to illicit such vehemence in others."_

" _Kind, huh? What, you do her a lot of favors or something?"_

Thane took that to be her asking for verification. Perhaps he should've called her right away. Nevertheless, he could set her mind at ease now. " _Indeed."_

" _I bet she's more ready than you'd think."_

Thane sat back in his chair, letting his eyes drift over the words on his screen. He didn't want to read into something that wasn't there … but it seemed like her last response meant something more. No, he was being foolish. Wistful, for something that was no longer a part of his life. She had called him her friend, surely if there was something more there she would say so. Jasmine was nothing, if not blunt. He glanced at the clock and opened his omni-tool, typing in her extranet address.

" _Shall I join you now?"_ Thane sent the message and let his eyes drift back to the laptop screen while he waited for her response.

A moment later his omni-tool pinged and he opened the message. " _Sure, whenever you're ready."_

Thane smiled and closed the lid on his laptop.


	13. Reed Jacobson

**Reed Jacobson**

Jasmine looked around her, taking a deep breath and rubbing her sweaty palms on her thighs. The apartment all but sparkled with cleanliness, and she'd finished the prep work for dinner hours ago. The almond crusted chicken and rice pilaf were in the oven. She looked in the refrigerator to make sure the salad wasn't wilting and touched the bottle of wine to see how cold the glass felt. She'd spent over two hours hitting up markets on the Citadel known to import food items from Earth, there weren't many and they were scattered. She'd gotten lucky, finding everything she needed for a decent meal.

With everything in order, why the hell did she feel so anxious? Her nerves hadn't twisted her up this bad since basic training, not outside of a job, anyway. Jasmine sighed, rubbing her palms briskly against her thighs again. Dinner with a friend wasn't something to be nervous about. She felt confident enough in her ability to cook, but still she worried he wouldn't like what she made. She knew a few dishes from the Council races, but she wanted to make him something from her home. Maybe she should've stuck with something that'd be more familiar to him. Well, she damn sure didn't have time to make anything different now; he'd be there any minute.

Jasmine went to the bathroom to look in the mirror. Taking her hair down she ran the brush through it before pulling it back up again. She scrunched up her nose and pulled the ponytail holder out again. Running her fingers through her hair, she shook it out to give it some volume. She picked up the bottle of herbal supplements Thane gave her and opened it, tapping the bottle against her palm. The pills spilled out, forming a little mountain in her hand, and she shoved most of them back inside, leaving out two. Using the glass she kept in the bathroom, she poured herself a glass of water from the tap.

 _What are you doing, Jasmine? You never leave your hair down. Except for the occasional date, but this isn't a date._

She rolled the capsules around in her hand, shaking them in her fist before popping them in her mouth, chasing them with water. Dumping the rest of the water out, she set the cup back on the edge of the sink and glanced at her reflection. Jasmine growled at herself in frustration, but picked up her tube of lip gloss and applied a fresh coat anyway.

 _He's probably not even remotely into you; you're human. Not everyone is comfortable outside of their species, and you've been around him half naked now—what?—three times and he didn't even try to look. Besides, he's a freelance assassin. That's a whole lot of complicated you don't need in your life. And … he's your friend. You don't have many of those. Don't fuck this up._

Looking at her hair again, she compromised. working it into a loose braid. Before she could rethink it any further, the buzzer on her door rang. Jasmine took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to calm the swarm of butterflies in her stomach.

 _Christ, Jasmine, even if this was a date—which it's not—you don't get nervous! Chill._

Jasmine left the bathroom and went to the door, running her hands down the front of her blouse to smooth out the non-existent wrinkles before she activated the monitor. Seeing Thane standing in the hallway brought a giddy smile to her face, and she opened the door. "Hi, come on in." She stepped aside so he could pass her.

He smirked, stepping through the door. "That's a first."

"What is?" Jasmine asked, heading back to the kitchen to check on dinner.

"You usually just open the door and walk away; threaten to shoot me if I don't come inside immediately." Thane followed her to the kitchen, his gaze roaming over her apartment.

 _Yeah, yeah, I cleaned, too._

"I can still do that if it makes you more comfortable." Jasmine grinned, hitting the button on the oven to check the timer. "It'll still be about ten minutes."

"Is there something I can help with?" he asked.

"Uh," Jasmine said, glancing around the kitchen and dining area, "yeah, you can set the table if you want." She opened cabinets, pulling out dishes and a brand new tablecloth, setting them on the counter for him.

"I'd be happy to." He picked up the tablecloth and moved to the table, shaking it out and snapping it in the air before letting it settle down to the table's surface.

Jasmine watched him out of the corner of her eye, smiling to herself as she pulled the bowl of salad from the refrigerator and carried it to the table. Thane moved past her, going to the counter to gather the dishes before returning to the dining room. Choosing chairs at opposite sides to set the plates in front of, he positioned them to face each other directly when they sat down. She returned to the kitchen to bring back fresh bread, dressings, and the wine.

"I know you don't drink, but it kind of goes with the meal. I've got tea as well, and water, of course, if you prefer?" Jasmine went back to the cabinets, waiting to hear Thane's drink choice before she pulled down glasses.

"I'll have a glass of wine." Thane glanced up at her, settling the last piece of silverware next to a plate.

Jasmine cocked an eyebrow. "Seriously?"

"It goes with the meal." Thane smirked, waving his hand over the table. "Though, I wouldn't mind a glass of water as well."

Snorting softly, Jasmine pulled down wine glasses and tumblers for water. "Wine and water it is, then." She filled the tumblers with ice water, carrying them, along with the wine glasses, to the table. Opening the bottle of wine, she filled both glasses before setting them next to the plates.

The timer on the oven beeped, calling Jasmine back to the kitchen. She glanced over at Thane, finding him wandering around the living room while she busied herself getting food out of the oven and transferring it to serving dishes. She hoped he appreciated the extra effort. Half the dishes they were using she'd only just bought so she could make him a nice dinner, and she'd probably never use them again.

She brought the rest of their meal to the table, adjusting dishes so they were easily accessible to both of them. Thane stood next to an end table, his back to her with his head down. Curious, Jasmine made her way over to him, stopping next to his shoulder.

He looked at her and smiled, holding up the candle in his hand. "Jasmine?"

She grinned. "It's not vanity, I swear." Reaching across to tap the picture of the small, white flowers on the label, her arm brushed against his as her fingernail clicked against the glass jar. "The plant is called Jasmine." She dropped her hand, lifting her shoulder in a shrug. "I like the way it smells."

"Indeed, it smells lovely." He settled the jar back down to the table.

"Everything's ready." Jasmine nodded over her shoulder toward the dinner table.

* * *

Thane lifted his wine glass to his lips, using the motion to distract himself from staring at Jasmine. He'd been concerned the evening would be awkward or strained after spending half of the day obsessing over her while he attempted to sort through his feelings. It wasn't though; things were going smoothly, the conversation flowing from topic to topic with ease. They'd discussed the expected delay before Theodus would remove the thread on The Prophet, the last book he read, her favorite old Earth vids—something she called _The Lord of the Rings_ movies—and now they spoke with ease about their work experiences.

He had to admit, he found it appealing, being able to openly discuss his work with someone he felt a connection to. She smiled and laughed with him over silly mistakes, lamented with him when he told her of a contract that went poorly in his early years. Never did she look at him with open horror, or thinly veiled disgust. Irikah accepted his profession, in the end, supporting him when he returned to assassinating as a freelancer. He could never truly share that part of him with her, though, and it wasn't a part of him she truly embraced.

Not that he intended to compare Jasmine to Irikah. He'd always love his wife, and would always mourn her as long as he drew breath. Whatever he felt for Jasmine, it'd never replace what he felt for Irikah. Yet he found it soothed his wounded soul, being there with Jasmine, where he saw no disgust or horror; only avid curiosity and camaraderie.

She looked away from him, pushing rice into a pile on her plate before scooping some onto her fork and lifting it to her mouth. Thane took another small sip of his wine, settling the glass back to the table, he returned his attention to his plate and the conversation at hand.

"Well, I mean, it's hardly fair." Jasmine took a drink from her water glass, already having drank half her wine. "Humans don't have the luxury of recalling every detail of every experience we have."

"You don't remember your first kill?" Thane raised his brow ridge, he'd expected with the way thread on The Prophet bothered her, something as significant as her first kill would really make a lasting impression.

"Oh, yeah, I do. Just not every detail." Jasmine lifted her shoulder in a shrug.

Thane smiled, leaning back in his chair. "What do you remember?" It fascinated him, hearing her recount her experiences; so different from his own eidetic memories.

"You really want to hear about it, or are you just looking for more cannon fodder to tell me how terrible of an assassin I am?" Jasmine chuckled before taking another sip of her water, watching him over the top of her glass.

Thane shook his head, waving his hand at nothing in particular. "I assure you, my first kill … let's just say I survived by luck far more than skill." He leaned forward, gazing into her eyes and dropped his voice without meaning to. "I _want_ to hear about it; will you tell me?"

Jasmine blushed, her neck and cheeks shifting from the color of the bark on the _hanna_ trees of Kahje, to the color of the skin of the _hannalene_ fruit they bore. Wishing he knew what thoughts had flustered her, Thane leaned a little closer. Propping his elbow on the table, he rested his chin on his fist.

She squirmed in her seat, adjusting herself to mirror him, and let out a sigh. "Alright. His name was Reed Jacobson. Only a year younger than me, just turned twenty. He worked for an information technologies firm back on Earth called TerraTech. The Alliance marked him because he'd been using his position at the firm to hack into the Alliance's computer systems and stole very sensitive, classified information. They did a full investigation into him, but for whatever reason …," she said, shaking her head, "I can't remember, they weren't able to follow through with the charges."

Jasmine picked up her wine glass, draining the contents before setting it back down. Thane lifted the bottle, holding it out in offering, and she nodded her head. He took her glass, holding it at an angle as he poured the dark wine. Setting the glass back down within her reach, he looked back up to find her watching him, a slight smile tugging at her lips. Something about the look in her eyes left him wanting to run his fingers over the curve of her frill-less jaw. Schooling his features, he raised a brow ridge, encouraging her to continue.

"I was nearing the end of my training, so my handler stayed with me the entire time. He coached me through stalking Jacobson for over a week." Her cheeks reddened again, and she broke eye contact with him, gently clearing her throat.

He could tell that she censored herself, and it only piqued his curiosity, but he wouldn't press her. He waited for her to continue, giving her the chance to work through her thoughts.

"He walked home from work every night; only lived two and a half blocks away. Leon wanted …" Jasmine paused, giving a rueful shake of her head. "I really shouldn't be using his name. Anyway, he wanted me to use my knives. Said if I was going to be doing this job, I needed to be able to handle the feel of someone's blood on my hands." Scraping up the last remains of rice pilaf on her plate, Jasmine lifted the fork to her mouth, chasing it with a heavy swallow from her water glass.

She chuckled, shaking her head. "I waited in an alley a block away from his house for an hour before he showed up. It was cold, and my fingers were starting to go numb. My handler was deeper in the alley, ready to step in if something went wrong. I must have looked back at him twenty times, even though I wasn't supposed to look at him at all." She leaned back in her chair, sliding her wine glass along the table's surface to keep it within reach. "When Jacobson finally showed, I panicked. Instead of calling him into the alley; playing the damsel in distress to lure him to me, I watched, frozen in place, as he walked past."

Thane kept his expression neutral. He understood her hesitancy all too well. Only twelve when he made his first kill, he still had what sounded like years of training on Jasmine when she made hers. It was foolish of the Alliance, to send assassins out so unprepared. The hanar and other drell of the Compact were as dedicated to his training as he'd been, taking the time necessary to ensure his success.

"I heard my handler coming down the alley, and I bolted. Ran out of the alley, barreling down the sidewalk at Jacobson." She scoffed, shaking her head. "I stumbled. Dropped my knife, and almost fell flat on my face. Jacobson heard me—of course—and started to turn around. I barely had enough time to draw another knife and bury it in his lower back before he caught sight of my face. Hit his kidney by luck. He couldn't scream … that kind of pain's too bad. But of course you already know." She waved a hand at him.

Thane chuckled and dipped his head. "Indeed. I also know it's a slow and painful death."

"I didn't leave him to die like that, though I did hesitate." She took a sip of her wine, setting the glass back on the table before twirling it back and forth by the stem. "God it was a mess."

Jasmine stood up, picking up her plate and leaning across the table to take his before carrying them to the kitchen. Thane pushed his chair away from the table, gathering up serving dishes to help. Carrying them to the kitchen, he set them down on the counter.

Jasmine squatted in front of a low cabinet, pulling out storage containers. "Had it been anyone but a twig of a man who spent his every waking moment sitting in front of a computer, things would've gone differently, I'm sure. Leon would've had to step in." Jasmine scoffed, shaking her head. "I'm sure he would've loved that."

"You aren't very fond of your handler, are you?" Thane opened one of the storage containers, sliding the remaining piece of chicken into the container before sealing it and picking up another.

Jasmine stood, leaning against the counter, her lips parted. Taking in a slow deep breath, she let it out again just as slowly. "He's not—wasn't just my handler."

Thane's fingers twitched, adjusting his grip on the bowl of rice, he focused his eyes on the task at hand, hoping Jasmine hadn't noticed. "Oh?"

Jasmine picked up the salad bowl, transferring the rest to the last storage container. "We were together. Uh, dating, I guess. For awhile."

Thane risked a glance at her. Brow furrowed and a frown on her face, Jasmine lifted a shoulder in a shrug.

Picking up the containers, she turned her back to him to put them in the refrigerator. "I was young and stupid. It didn't work out. Which honestly is a good thing, because once my training ended we wouldn't be able to see each other much … and even though we don't have all the same regulations as the rest of the Alliance, relationships with subordinates is still frowned upon." She turned around, closing the refrigerator and leaned against the door. "He's a good handler, though. A little bit of an ass, but he's there when I need him."

Thane chuckled, moving the dishes to the sink. "You think I'm an ass, too."

Jasmine grinned at him. "Yeah … but you're a whole different kind of ass." She pushed away from the refrigerator. "Don't worry about those, I'll take care of them later."

Thane raised his brow ridge, the corners of his lips lifting as he recalled the stack of dishes he'd washed for her once before.

"I will." She laughed and took the salad bowl from his hands, setting it in the sink. "Call Rift with me?"

"Sure," Thane said, following her out of the kitchen.

Jasmine retrieved her laptop and brought it back to the dining room table, settling back into her chair. She pulled another chair over closer to her, patting the seat. Thane sat down, acutely aware of the warmth radiating from her body next to his. He took a shallow breath, her scent washing over him; his heart thudding in his chest. Opening the laptop, Jasmine logged in using her fingerprint before placing the call to Rift's omni-tool.

Ringing only twice before the call connected, Rift's face appeared on the screen. Gasping as his eyebrows shot up, a smile lit up his face. "Jasmine!"

Jasmine grinned, adjusted the laptop a little so Rift could see Thane. Turning in his chair to better face the camera, he leaned a little closer to Jasmine.

"Sere Krios!" Rift squealed, the image on the screen shaking as he sat up on what appeared to be a couch.

Thane chuckled at the boys enthusiasm. "Hello, Rift. You look well."

Seeing Jasmine turn to look at him out of his peripheral vision, he turned his head to look at to her. She smiled at him, warm and soft before turning her gaze back to the screen. He let his gaze linger until Rift's voice demanded his attention once more.

"It's so awesome here!" Rift pushed himself from the couch. "Let me show you my room. Oh, and my bike!" Rift looked down, his focus leaving the omni-tool. "Lucky, move, I'm tryin' to walk here."

"Rift? Where are you going, buddy? We've got to get back to your studies in ten minutes!" A woman's voice came from somewhere behind Rift.

Thane suspected it must be Geoffrey's wife. Jasmine glanced back at Thane, the same warm smile on her face he couldn't help but return.

"I'm talkin' to Jasmine, Mom. I wanna show her my bedroom and my bike. Is that okay?" Rift hollered back.

A moment later, the woman's voice came from somewhere much closer. "Of course. Make sure you take Lucky outside with you when you go, and don't forget his leash this time." The torso of a woman moved into view before she squatted down next to the boy. "Hi Jas—Oh, you've got company." The woman blinked pale blue eyes, her smile faltering momentarily.

"That's Sere Krios." Rift grinned at his new mother. "He's my friend, too."

Recognition lifted the woman's blond eyebrows, her smile growing. "I see. Hello, Sere Krios, it's nice to have a face to put to the name. Rift talks about you frequently, he says before meeting Jasmine, you were the nicest person to him on the Citadel."

Thane chuckled, despite the unease of being faced with the stranger. "Indeed. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Williams." If Jasmine trusted her, he tried to assure himself he had nothing to be concerned with.

"Oh please, call me Karin. Any friend of Rift's is a friend of mine." Karin turned to smile and wink at Rift.

"Very well, thank you, Karin." Thane dipped his head, hoping it wouldn't be perceived as rude of him to not extend her the same courtesy.

Karin smiled brightly at him before turning her attention to Jasmine. "Call me later, Jasmine. Okay? We need to catch up." Something shifted in her face, concern creeping into her eyes. "No matter how late."

Sucking in a slow breath, Jasmine nodded. "Sure."

"Alright, well, I'll let you get back to your call." Karin stood, her hand coming into view to smooth down Rift's hair. "Be sure to tell her how well you're doing with your studies." She ducked back into view of the omni-tool. "He'll be ready to start at a 'real school' by the end of summer."

"Rift! That's fantastic!" Jasmine beamed at him,

Karin disappeared from view and Rift continued on down the hall to his bedroom, chattering the entire way about everything he learned while Karin homeschooled him. Jasmine whispered, just loud enough for Thane to hear, assuring him Karin didn't know what they did for a living. He found it mattered far less to him if the woman knew he was an assassin, than it did that Jasmine trusted him with her family as much as she did.

Rift sounded very excited about the prospect of going to a 'real school' and being allowed to sign up for something called 'baseball.' Thane would make a point of looking into what this 'baseball' entailed later. Rift talked about his puppy, Lucky, while struggling to get a leash on the squirming dog's collar, the images on the screen a chaotic flurry of golden fur and fumbling fingers.

Jasmine snickered at his efforts, glancing at Thane before leaning her shoulder against his briefly. Grinning, Thane hesitated only a second before doing the same, pressing his shoulder against hers. She held his gaze as her smile grew and bumped against him again.

"Are you two going to kiss?" Rift's voice drew their attention back to the screen, his nose curled up in disgust.

Heat creeped up Thanes neck, and he coughed into his fist. Glancing at Jasmine, he saw her staring at the screen with wide eyes before she recovered enough to laugh; the sound sharp and ringing false to his ears. Still, her cheeks held the same blush he'd seen earlier.

Jasmine shook her head. "Why would you think that?"

"Because you're looking at him the same way Mom does before she kisses Dad." He scrunched his nose up further, his lips pursing, and his eyes crinkling around the edges. "It's soooo gross, and they do it alllll the time."

Thane forced a smile on his face, willing a calm to wash over him. "Kissing is gross?" Curiosity teased at the edges of his mind. Was Jasmine looking at him like she wanted to kiss him?

 _He must be mistaken. Children have such active imaginations._

Rift nodded sharply, his small head jerking up and down twice. "Yuck."

"So, you don't have a girlfriend yet, Rift?" Jasmine asked.

"Ewwwww, no. Girls are gross, too." Rift left his room, leading Lucky through the house.

Jasmine gasped, drawing Thane's attention to her. He chuckled, seeing the dramatic look of shock on her face.

"Not you, Jasmine. You don't count. Neither does mom, or Samantha, or Angela, or Jessica, or Mila." Rift grinned at her, opening the door; sunlight splashing over his face.

"Uh!" Jasmine blew out a loud breath, slapping her hand against her chest, fingers splayed.

Thane laughed, looking back at the screen. "I don't think you made it any better, Rift."

"Jasmine," Rift whined, tilting his head to the side in exasperation. "I didn't mean it like _that_."

Jasmine grinned, propping her elbow on the table and resting her chin in her palm. "Well, how did you mean it, then?"

"Jasmine," Rift whined again, bouncing a little.

She laughed. "Go on, let's see your bike so you can get back to your studies. I want to hear all about your new school next fall."

Rift grinned, and walked around the side of the house. Thane caught sight of what he judged to be a nice neighborhood, trees growing in the yard, a carpet of lush, green turf covering the ground. Rift came to a stop, and turned the omni-tool to face a metal-framed, two wheeled vehicle of sorts.

"Isn't it so cool?" His free hand reached out, grabbing the bike by a handle and pulling it away from the side of the house.

"So cool," Jasmine said.

Thane glanced at her, his heart warming at the light in her eyes as she watched the screen intently. "Indeed."

Jasmine turned her head in her palm, her curled fingers covering most of her lips, the corner of her mouth turning up in a soft smile. It occurred to him, with all of the emotions he'd seen her express over time, he'd never seen her appear shy before that moment. He told himself it meant nothing more than the child broke a social taboo and embarrassed the both of them.

Rift's face appeared once again. "Mom's calling me, I have to go back in now."

"Okay, kiddo. I'll call you again in a few days." Jasmine sat up straight, resting her hand on the keyboard.

"Okay. Bye, guys!" Rift waved at the camera.

Thane and Jasmine both said goodbye before Jasmine cut the call.

* * *

Jasmine closed the laptop lid and snorted. "Well, that was awkward."

"Indeed." Thane chuckled. "He seems quite happy, though."

Jasmine turned in her chair, her knee carelessly brushing against his before he pulled his leg out of her way. She could feel the stupid grin on her face, but didn't care, she felt overjoyed to see Rift doing so well. "He does, doesn't he?"

It was a bittersweet feeling, being reminded of all the things she once had, only to be taken away from her, as they were with Rift; only he got it all back—not the same as what he lost—but he seemed truly happy. Too jaded, already aged beyond her years by her time on the streets, Jasmine didn't find the same level of belonging in the Williams' home as he clearly did. Her smile slipped away from her, and she let out a soft sigh.

"Jasmine?" Thane leaned a little closer, his arm sliding across the table's surface. "Are you alright?"

Jasmine forced a smile back on her face. "Yeah. I just still miss him."

Thane's eyes dropped from hers, the black pools seeming to study his fingers resting on the table's surface. "As do I."

"I want ice cream. Do you like ice cream?" Jasmine pushed her chair back, standing.

Thane looked up, emerald irises peering at her in confusion. "I'm afraid I've never had any."

Jasmine laughed, the last vestiges of tension flowing out of her. She shook her head. "You're hopeless."

Jasmine made her way to the freezer, pulling out a tub of mint chocolate chip ice cream and two spoons. Turning around she sucked in a quick breath, finding Thane standing right behind her. She hadn't heard him follow her into the kitchen.

The corner of his mouth quirked up, his shoulders shaking in mirth. "May I assist?"

"Nothing to assist with." Jasmine grinned, holding a spoon out to him. "I played nice for dinner, but now we're doing this my way and eating it straight from the carton. No arguments."

Thane smirked. "Or you'll shoot me?"

"Exactly." Jasmine moved past him, grabbing her wine glass from the dining room table before making her way to the couch.

She plopped down in the middle, pulling the lid off the carton and laying it on the table. Lifting a spoonful to her mouth, she looked around realizing Thane wasn't sitting down next to her. She spotted him standing in the dining room, watching her.

Jasmine took the spoon out of her mouth and swallowed. "What's wrong? If it means so much to you, get a damn bowl. I'm eating it like this."

Thane smiled, lingering in the dining room a moment longer before making his way to the couch. "Then so shall I."

He sat down next to her, no closer than they'd been while talking to Rift, but she had to admit with him so close, the couch suddenly felt far more intimate. Jasmine swallowed again, the sweet aftertaste of mint and chocolate thickening on her tongue.

She held the container out to him, tilting it so he could more easily see inside. Thane turned a little, dipping his spoon into the ice cream. Following the dessert laden utensil with her gaze, she watched his mouth as he slid it inside. Jasmine licked her lips, getting more ice cream on her spoon to distract herself.

"Mmm. Interesting." Thane chuckled. "Far more appealing than cake."

Jasmine grinned, passing him the ice cream. "Hold this?"

Thane dipped his head, taking the carton from her. She stuck her spoon in her mouth, freeing her hands. Bending down to take her boots off, she heaved a sigh of relief as she shoved them under the coffee table. Turning sideways on the couch, she tucked her feet beneath her, taking a drink from her wine glass before turning her attention back to him. He handed her back the carton of ice cream, and she took another spoonful. They sat in silence for a few moments, taking turns scooping up spoonfuls of the green ice cream and casting furtive glances at one another.

Rift's words echoed in Jasmine's mind. Okay, so she thought Thane attractive. She couldn't even try to deny it to herself anymore, and yes, maybe she'd thought a time or two about making a move on him, but she never really intended to follow through. But surely she wasn't so obvious a child could pick up on it so easily. Was she?

 _So what if I think about it from time to time. It doesn't hurt anyone to think. It's not like I'm throwing myself at him. Besides, I know it's a stupid idea. And he'd probably never go for it anyway. And … we're friends now. That would just mess everything up. Wouldn't it?_

"What will he study?" Thane asked, tearing Jasmine away from her inner monologue.

Jasmine looked up from her spoon, blinking her eyes. "What?"

"Rift. What do children on Earth learn about in school?" Thane took another bite of the ice cream, his jaw moving as if he were rolling it around on his tongue.

"Oh." Jasmine tilted her head, lifting her shoulder to meet it halfway. "Math, history, science, literature, terra-biology, xenobiology …." She lifted her shoulder again. "Honestly, I couldn't say. I haven't been in school for many years. A lot of things have changed since then; the curriculum's probably changed, too."

"Xenobiology?" Thane shifted in his seat, angling his body a little more toward hers. "They teach children about other species?"

"It's not detailed. Mostly just the basics; a little more detail on the Council species. We're taught about the dietary needs of dextro species." Jasmine paused, squinting her eyes as she tried to recall what she could from school. "A little about asari reproduction … mostly because it's so different from anything else we'd encountered on Earth prior to entering galactic civilization."

Thane nodded. "It's similar in hanar and drell schools. However, my education was quite different from most other children on Kahje."

Jasmine snorted lightly, her lips lifting in a smirk. "While other children were being taught how to best avoid giving a turian food poisoning, you were being taught the best ways to kill them." Jasmine licked her spoon, turning her attention back to him. "What was it like for you? You were so young … I mean, were you afraid of what they were teaching you? Of what they made you do?"

"I was … disturbed at times, yes. But not afraid of the training. If anything, I feared failing. The hanar saved my people, being a part of the Compact was an honor. I wanted to serve, however they deemed necessary. I …." Thane's eyes widened, the inner lids blinking opened and closed several times as he tilted his head upward. "Crouching in the shadows. Thighs and calves burning with the strain. 'Ignore the pain, it's irrelevant.' His hushed voice comes from behind. Barely even a whisper."

Jasmine's jaw fell open, her own eyebrows twitching as understanding struck her. She reached out her hand, ready to shake his shoulder, but hesitated, fingers barely grazing the leather of his jacket. Unsure as to whether or not she should try to stop him, interrupt the flow of memories from his mouth, Jasmine listened, watching with fascination and dread instead.

Thane paused, his lips twitching, his eyes moving rapidly. "Doubt, strong and demanding. I will fail, I know I will. It's more than I can bear. I'll be sent away, denied the opportunity to serve." He stopped talking, his eyes blinking away whatever phantom images he saw before turning his attention back to Jasmine, appearing fully lucid once again. Gaze following the length of her arm to where her fingertips made contact, he lifted the ridges of his brow.

Jasmine pulled her hand back as quickly as if she'd been burned. Licking her lips, she swallowed. "Sorry, I … I didn't know if I should try to make you stop, or …."

Thane's lips pressed into a thin line before leveling out in a neutral expression, his gaze returning to hers. "I frightened you?"

"No!" The word rushed from her with a heavy breath. "No, I just … I didn't want you to say something you didn't want me to hear."

Thane smiled, his shoulders relaxing as he reached for the ice cream still held in Jasmine's hand. "It's one of the first things drell are taught to control, especially those entering into service to the hanar. None ever completely master it, of course—it is as natural to us as breathing—but for those memories that aren't particularly intense," he said, waving his hand, "it's easy enough to choose to allow them or not."

"You did that on purpose?" Jasmine asked, unsure of what to make of it, but pleased he decided to share the moment with her.

"Indeed." Thane dipped his head. "Sometimes it's easier to convey a thought with a memory."

Jasmine tilted the carton of ice cream toward him, offering him the last bite. He shook his head, holding his hand out in refusal, so she finished it off before putting the lid back on. Taking his spoon from him and nestling it inside of hers, she laid them both on top of the empty carton before unfolding herself from the couch. Thane rose to his feet, following her as she made her way to the kitchen. Disposing of the empty carton, she tossed the spoons into the sink with the rest of the dishes.

Jasmine turned around, leaning against the counter, her palms pressed into the surface behind her. "Share something else with me. Another memory."

Thane chuckled. "Of what?"

Jasmine shrugged her shoulder. "I don't know. Something about me." She grinned mischievously.

Thane blinked at her before chuckling again. "What would you have me share? My memories of watching you struggle to get back through the ceiling panels when we first met, or perhaps your behavior while drunk? Talking in your sleep? How mortified you looked that same night, waking up to find me still there?"

"Ass." Jasmine laughed, reaching out to slap his shoulder.

Thane's hand darted out, catching her wrist before she could make contact, the sudden movement triggering Jasmine's own reflexes and training. Rolling her wrist, she reversed the grip, only to find herself being pulled in against his body. His hand pinned her arm behind her while the other lightly gripped her hip. With one arm held behind her back and the other wedged between them, her palm flat on his chest, they both froze.

Some small corner of her mind told Jasmine from there he could easily spin her around, gaining complete control of the situation, and knowing him, snap her neck. To counter, she'd need to break his hold before he turned her; distracting, painful blows to his instep, groin, and femoral nerve were her best bet with her hands trapped. Neither of them moved.

Suddenly, intensely aware of the feel of his scales beneath her fingers, the curve of solid muscle pressed against her, the warmth of his hand on her hip, Jasmine licked her lips and looked up, meeting his gaze.

"Ah." His voice dry and rough when he spoke, he let go of her arm, his fingers trailing down her back as he let his hand fall away. "My apologies."

Jasmine moved her arm from behind her back, letting her hand drift up to rest against his chest next to her other hand. His fingers twitched against her hip, his eyes boring into hers. His lips parting ever so slightly, Jasmine's heart skipped a beat when his head started to tilt to the side. Breath catching in her throat, she thought for one, all too fleeting moment, he would kiss her, and she realized she desperately wanted him to.

Instead, he blinked his eyes, the inner lids opening and closing rapidly. Dropping his hand from her side, Thane took half a step back. "I didn't mean … I shouldn't have reacted." He pressed his lips together, gently clearing his throat. "My apologies."

Jasmine licked her lips, trying to work up saliva in her suddenly bone dry mouth. Beating back the disappointment flooding her senses, she snorted softly. "Well, to be fair, I _was_ going to hit you." Pushing against his chest to right herself, she let her hands linger, tugging at the lapels of his jacket, pulling them back into place. "Gently, of course," she said, lifting her shoulder in a shrug, "but still." She let go of him, leaning back against the counter, trapping her hands behind her just to keep from touching him again.

Heat crept up Jasmine's neck, spreading out across her chest. Embarrassed not only by her own desires, but by how easily she'd let herself forget who exactly she was dealing with, Jasmine stared at the floor. They were both trained to the point where actions came more from reflex than decision. It didn't matter how comfortable she'd grown to be around Thane, he'd always be one of the deadliest people she knew. She couldn't treat him the same way she would the marines she played basketball with, the way she'd treat Geoffrey, or even Rift and expect him to respond the same way. She'd nearly ruined their evening; things could've gone somewhere real ugly real fast if they hadn't stopped themselves.

"No one got hurt, no need to apologize." It wasn't strictly true, the dull ache in her still healing ribs assured her, but it was inconsequential and nothing she couldn't deal with. Looking back up at him, she forced a grin. Resorting to inappropriate humor, she hid whatever stupid emotions floated around in the back of her head giving her the incessant urge to touch him again, refusing to acknowledge them. "But for future reference, if you really want to get _that_ close to me, there _are_ better ways to go about it."

The frills along Thane's neck, already looking a little darker than usual, turned darker still. Jasmine smirked, feeling some of the tension slip away from her as she regained control of the situation. Dropping his gaze from hers, he tucked his hands behind his back and chuckled.

Appearing far more composed when he looked back up, the self-assured, calculating expression of his slid firmly back into place as he lifted the corner of his mouth. "I'll keep that in mind." Glancing toward the dining room, he shuffled further back from her. "It's getting late, I should be going."

Jasmine pushed away from the counter. "Oh. Okay. Yeah." She led him from the kitchen, around the corner, and down the hall to the front door. "Hey, thanks again for having your contact take care of things for me." Jasmine stopped, stepping to the side to clear the way to the door.

Thane halted, turning to face her. "Indeed, it's my pleasure. I'm … honored you felt comfortable coming to me." He waved his hand, gesturing back down the hall. "Thank you for inviting me over. I had a wonderful time, and dinner was excellent."

Jasmine lifted her eyebrow. "Yeah … you still don't have to act so surprised."


	14. Anastasia Bellefleur

**Anastasia Bellefleur**

" _Irikah?" Thane reached his hand out, gripping her shoulder, trying to tug her around to face him. His fingers slipping across her scales, slick and wet, he lost his grip. Pulling his hand away, he glanced down to see it drenched in blood. Locking closed, his throat ached. "Irikah?"_

 _The room was covered in blood, thick and dark, splashes all over the walls and ceiling, puddles soaked into the floor. Arashu, what happened?_

" _You did this to me, my love." Hollow and empty, Irikah's voice sounded all wrong._

" _What? Irikah, what's happened? Kolyat! Where's Kolyat?" He grabbed her shoulder again, gripping her a little harder than he'd ever think about doing at any other time. "Look at me!" He needed to see her face, look into her sunset colored eyes and tell her she was safe now; he wouldn't leave her again, but the small voice in the back of his head begged her not to turn around. It knew … he knew, his wife was already dead._

 _Irikah spun to face him, her beautiful sunset colored eyes gone white with death. She opened her mouth and blood poured down her chin. Thane stumbled back, nearly falling over one of their coffee tables, lying broken on the floor. Wounds opened up before his eyes, long gashes and deep stab wounds all over her, blood flowed in thick streams down her body._

" _You killed me, Thane. You'll kill her, too. Your love is poison. But you know that, don't you? It's why you've abandoned our son, isn't it?" Droplets of blood sprayed from her mouth with each word she spoke._

 _Thane swallowed, pain shooting through his chest as he shook his head in denial. "Irikah, no. I'm … I'm sorry. I never meant for this to happen to you."_

" _Do you really think she'll love you?" Irikah ignored his apology, the only acknowledgment a macabre smirk. "She'll find out, eventually; that you killed your wife and abandoned your son."_

" _Irikah, please …." Pleading for her mercy, he held his hand out, only to let it fall back to his side when he saw it covered in her blood._

 _Her head tilted back, cold laughter escaping her lips. "Do you think she'll forgive you? Do you think she forgave her father when he abandoned her? Her father killed her mother, too, didn't he?"_

" _No." He shook his head, willing his eyes to close so he didn't have to see the blood or her dead eyes, but his eyelids wouldn't obey his command. "I didn't … I didn't kill you."_

 _Irikah took a staggering step forward. "You may not have slid the blade in, but you did this to me. You should've been here, Thane. Why weren't you here? He came here, to our home, because of you. You couldn't let it go; couldn't give up what the hanar gave you."_

 _He could feel his lungs expanding, pulling in frantic gasps of air but it wasn't enough. "I'm sorry." His voice cracked._

 _Scoffing, she took another step forward. "You're sorry?" Another step put him within her reach. "You're sorry?" Her hands darted out, sliding blood slick fingers over his chest, latching onto the lapels of his jacket. "Sorry for what, Thane? You were just doing what you're trained to do, right? It wasn't your fault. You couldn't have known. Right? So tell me, what exactly are you sorry for, my love?"_

 _Thane winced, her mocking tone cutting him deeper than the ice cold feel of her hands. "It is my fault." Tears welled up in his eyes, spilling down over his cheeks but doing nothing to obscure the gruesome visage in front of him. "It's my fault … Irikah, I'm so sorry."_

 _A sneer spread across her face, and she dropped her hands. Leaning in close, pressing her cheek against his, she whispered in his ear. "I wish I never met you."_

 _Thane opened his mouth, struggling to find the right words, praying something could be said that would convince her to forgive him. Pain blossomed in his abdomen, white-hot and blinding. Gasping in shock, he stumbled back, his hand drifting up to clutch desperately at the source, his fingers brushing across something hard and sharp, creating a fresh wave of agony. Pulling his gaze away from Irikah's grim face, he looked down to see a dagger—Stiv Kay's dagger—embedded deep in his viscera._

Thane's eyes snapped open. Gasping for air, his gaze darted around, finding nothing but the familiar shapes of his own bedroom. Embracing the pain in his chest and the tears in his eyes, he rolled to his side. Filled with self-loathing, he clung to the nightmare. Refusing to let it fade, he plunged into his memories, losing himself in the blood and gore.

* * *

Splashing water on his face, he washed away the dried tears before patting himself with a fresh towel. Taking a deep breath, he pressed his palms into the counter and stared at his reflection in the mirror.

 _Perhaps it's time I left the Citadel. I can message her, explain myself once I'm gone … too far away to be tempted to change my mind. Maybe I can find a contract elsewhere, reach out to my contacts and tell them I'm looking for work off of the Citadel. Surely she would understand, I must go where there's work._

Thane closed his eyes and Jasmine's face danced on the back of his eyelids. She put her trust in him, shared so much of herself with him, and he knew it wasn't something she did lightly. She was … his friend. He couldn't leave without the courtesy of telling her to her face.

 _I need … perhaps a walk will help._

Making his way back to his bedroom, Thane opened his closet, retrieving his clothes, and dressed himself. Sitting on the edge of the bed to put his boots on, he let out a shuddering sigh, running his hands over his face before folding them in prayer.

 _Kalahira, mistress of the darkest depths, guide me through this night, for I am weary and lost. I beg of you, offer solace, as only you can, to the restless soul I failed in life. Please, Kalahira, give her peace._

Thane left his apartment, accepting Kalahira as his guide, he let his feet lead him where She willed.

* * *

Jasmine groaned, rolling over in her bed to drag her pistol from the nightstand. The doors buzzer rang again, and again, only to be followed up with loud, urgent banging. Glancing at the clock, she saw it was only four in the morning, and she'd only been asleep three hours. No wonder she felt like shit. Climbing out of bed, she slipped on her robe and made her way to the front door.

Activating the security monitor, Jasmine furrowed her brow when she saw an extremely agitated looking Mouse waiting outside. She unlocked the door and hit the door's release. "Mouse? What's wrong?" Jasmine glanced down either side of the hall outside her door, making certain the no one followed him.

Mouse glanced at the gun in her hand before peering up at her face. "Jasmine, you've got to come with me. Sere Krios got hurt."

"What? Where is he?" Grabbing the collar of Mouse's shirt, she dragged him inside before closing the door.

"He's not makin' any sense. We can't get him up on our own, and I know he'll be upset if we get C-Sec. But he said your name, so I thought …." Mouse wrung his hands, glancing down the hall toward her living room.

"Mouse!" She shook him by his collar, trying to get him to focus. "Where is he?"

Mouse looked up at her, wide-eyed, and shook his head. "He's not far. I—I can take you there."

Jasmine let go of his shirt and turned, jogging back to her bedroom to get dressed. "Wait there, I need to get some clothes on."

 _Oh God. Oh God. Oh God._

Setting her pistol on the nightstand, she moved to the dresser. Yanking open drawers, she pulled out the first pair of pants and socks she came across, and threw them on her bed, not caring she didn't have on a bra beneath her tank top. "Mouse, what happened to him?" She shrugged off her robe.

"Um … I think he got shot. In his stomach, maybe? I don't know. There's so much blood." Mouse's voice trembled, high and tight with strain.

 _Jesus Christ._

"Is anyone with him?" She stepped into her pants, pulling them up and fastening them. "Did you see who shot him?"

"I—I don't know. Mila, Sarah, and Connor are with him right now." His voice came from a little closer to her bedroom. "Please hurry."

"I am Mouse, I am, I promise." Jasmine slipped on her socks, before sliding on a pair of tennis shoes and a hoodie. Holstering her pistol at her side, she tugged the hoodie down over it. Grabbing a hair tie off the nightstand, she left the room pulling her hair up in a messy ponytail. "Let's go."

* * *

Jasmine maneuvered the skycar back into the alley Mouse pointed out, landing right behind the duct rats gathered around Thane. They were only four blocks away from her apartment. Technically illegal to land a vehicle outside of Citadel approved zones, Jasmine didn't care, she needed the skycar close and the alley would provide enough seclusion it wouldn't draw attention. Hopefully.

Out of the car before it even settled completely to the ground, Jasmine rushed past the two gawking, human pre-teens to crouch down next to Thane and Mila. Slumped against a wall, Thane half laid, half sat in a small puddle of his own blood. His chin resting against his chest and his eyes closed. If not for the shallow rise and fall of his chest and shoulders, she'd think she saw a dead man sitting there.

 _Oh, sweet Jesus. What the hell happened to you?_

The young asari, knelt next to Thane, her blood-soaked hands pressed against his abdomen, tears streamed down her face when she looked up at Jasmine. "I don't know what to do."

"You're doing fine, Mila. Just keep putting pressure there." Jasmine glanced over her shoulder. "Mouse, look in the skycar for a first aid kit." Jasmine watched him long enough to be sure he intended to do as she said. Turning back to Thane, she hooked her fingers beneath his chin and lifted his head up.

His eyes opened, the emerald of his irises, just barely visible in the dim light, diminished to a thin ring around dilated pupils. "Irikah?" His eyelids fluttered twice before sinking closed again.

"Hey, come on. Open your eyes. I need you to look at me." Jasmine shook his chin gently, trying to encourage him to stay with her.

His eyelids fluttered again, refusing to stay open. "I can't. I … I'm sorry, Irikah."

"Who—Who's Irikah?" Mila sniffled.

Jasmine shook her head. "I don't know." She glanced over her shoulder, wondering what was taking Mouse so long. "Mouse!"

"Found it!" He climbed out of the back of the skycar, running back over to Jasmine's side. Squatting down next to her, he opened the first aid kit.

Jasmine's heart sank. The kit was stripped nearly bare. All that remained of use to her were clotting sponges. She'd have to make do, and get him to a hospital. Fingers trembling, Jasmine struggled to pull loose the buckles of his vest before yanking down the zipper. "Th—Krios." She caught herself, remembering he used only his last name with the duct rats. "Krios, this is going to hurt. Hey, can you hear me?"

He didn't respond, not even so much as a flutter of his eyelids. Jasmine bit her lip, nodding her head at Mila to get the girl to move her hands. Carefully pulling back the leather, she winced when Thane whimpered. Glancing at him, she saw his eyes moving behind closed eyelids. Jasmine hissed, pulling the vest the rest of the way to the side. He hadn't been shot, but stabbed—three times. The bleeding slowed to a trickle thanks to Mila's quick thinking, but by the looks of things, if the kids hadn't found him when they did, he very well might've died.

 _Hell, he still might. Dear God, please don't let him die._

Jasmine forced steel into her spine, and started stuffing the first clotting sponge into the wound losing the most blood. An agonized cry escaped Thane, only to be cut short with an audible snap of teeth. Jasmine glanced up at him, finding his eyes wide open and locked on her, his jaw clenched tight.

"I'm sorry." She whispered, the knot in her throat threatening to choke her. "I've got to stop the bleeding so I can move you. You need to go to a hospital." She pushed the sponge in a little further, feeling the muscles beneath her fingers spasm.

"No." He put his hand on her wrist. "Leave me, Jasmine. It's my time."

Jasmine's hand froze, her gaze slowly lifting to his, her brow furrowing. "Like hell it is."

Mila started sobbing, and Thane's gaze flicked to her briefly before settling back on Jasmine. He smiled serenely at Jasmine, just a faint upturn of his lips, igniting a fury inside of her she hadn't felt toward him in a long time. Jasmine clenched her jaw, shoving the clotting sponge deeper inside, almost finding satisfaction in the way it wiped the smile from his face.

"Mouse, get Mila out of here. Take her back there with the others." Jasmine didn't take her eyes off of Thane's as she spoke. Aware at how harsh her words sounded, she forced a softer tone. "Help her get cleaned up."

Mouse didn't speak, only moved to Mila's side and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, helping her to her feet. Jasmine picked up another sponge, but Thane grabbed her wrist again. She glowered at him, wanting to yell, call him every name she could think of and tell him how stupid he was acting.

Instead, she leaned in close, putting her cheek right next to his so she could whisper in his ear. Seething, she let her emotions seep into her voice, the words coming out in a hiss. "I don't know what the _hell_ your problem is, but there is _no fucking way_ _in hell_ I'm going to sit here and just let you bleed out. Especially not in front of those kids. You're _not_ doing this to them—to me." Jasmine pulled back, staring into his eyes again. "It's not happening."

"My wife is dead because of me. I don't deserve to live. Please, Jasmine … take the drala'fa and go. You needn't watch, just leave." The sorrow in his voice unmistakable, Thane tightened his grip on her wrist. "Please."

Jasmine blinked, slowly processing his words. Little pieces of the puzzle that was Thane Krios falling into place inside her head, tears welled up in her eyes. Taking an unsteady breath, she blinked them away. "No. Let go. I'm not going anywhere."

"Jasmine …." His eyes begged her to leave.

"No." Her jaw ached from being clenched so tight.

Lips turning down into a frown, Thane's brow furrowed. "Why—"

"I said no!" She didn't mean to raise her voice, and she flinched, her stomach sinking when Mila's sobbing started up again.

Thane sighed, dropping his hand from hers in defeat. "As you will … siha."

Jasmine's brow twitched, she didn't know what the hell 'siha' meant, but she wasn't going to waste more time questioning him. For all she knew, he just called her the drell version of 'bitch'. She'd be just fine with it, so long as he let her finish stuffing his wounds and get him the hell out of the alley before he lost too much blood to make it to the hospital. Keeping her focus on the task at hand, she ignored the feel of his eyes on her as she worked.

Finishing, she wiped her bloodied hands on her jeans and waved Mouse back over. "I need you to help me get him on his feet, okay? Just do what I do, alright?"

Mouse nodded his head, watching as Jasmine slid an arm behind Thane, draping his arm over her shoulder. Mouse moved to Thane's other side and did the same, pushing himself up slowly when Jasmine gave him the go ahead. Thane groaned, but bent his knees, sliding his feet beneath him to help as much as he could.

Jasmine glanced down the alley as they made their way, painfully slow, to the skycar. A flock of curious onlookers gathered at the mouth of the alley, but so far, none were brave enough to venture into the shadows to get a better look. "C-Sec will be here soon. Mouse, help me get him in the car, and then you guys need to get out of here right away. If anyone asks, you don't know him, you don't know what happened."

Mouse scoffed. "I know, Jasmine. Don't know who the lady is that helped him away either, if they ask. Can't really describe either of them, it was kinda dark, and I was scared. If they keep askin', I'll start cryin' and they'll leave me alone. Always do."

Jasmine snorted, glancing at Thane. "You teach him that?"

Thane's features were pinched in pain and concentration, but still he looked at her and gave a little shake of his head. "Didn't need to."

"Life taught me." Mouse broke away, leaving Jasmine to support Thane's weight alone while he opened the skycar doors.

The reminder of the cold life Mouse and the other duct rats lived only served to sober her mood further, draining away what little relief she felt from Thane's cooperation. "Yeah. I imagine it did." Jasmine guided Thane a few more steps, lowering him into the passenger seat of the skycar.

Moving to the driver's side, she stopped to let her gaze roam over the backs of Mouse and the others as they disappeared down the alley. She climbed into the skycar and closed the doors. "Do you know where the nearest hospital is?"

"Not—the nearest, no. If you must, please, take me to the hanar." Thane winced, pressing his palm into the seat beneath him, shifting his weight. Ragged breaths rocked his shoulders as he coughed, the sound wet and filled with phlegm. Groaning, he leaned against the door, his head resting against the window.

 _Jesus Christ, please don't die._

"Where? I don't know where you mean." A spike of panic sent her heart racing, seeping into her voice, making her screech.

Thane rolled his head along the glass to look at her, both sets of eyelids blinking slowly. Opening his omni-tool, he ran his fingers over the keys before reaching his hand out toward the skycar's navigation system, syncing the information from his omni-tool to the device. Jasmine didn't wait for the VI to start feeding her directions before starting the vehicle, getting it into the air.

* * *

Jasmine settled the car down outside of the small hanar clinic. Conservative, the building stood out from its neighbors only in how much it _didn't_ stand out; certainly not big enough to be an actual hospital. She leaned over, nudging Thane gently. He'd talked incoherently for awhile on the ride before eventually falling silent, slumped against the door. Jasmine tried to rouse him, but never got more out of him than groans of pain and mumbled apologies.

She shook his shoulder. "Thane, wake up. We're here, and I can't carry you." She shook him a third time when he didn't respond. "Thane?" Leaning over further, she felt for his pulse, her blood running as cold as ice in her veins when she could barely feel the slow thump against her fingertips. "Jesus," she whispered, opening the skycar door.

Jasmine ran to the clinic's doors, slamming her hand against the door's release controls. The door slid open, revealing a tranquil waiting room with soft music playing over the speakers and constructed waterfalls lining the walls. Hanar moved about, but with no uniforms or name tags of any sort, Jasmine couldn't tell the patients from the doctors. Spotting a reception desk at the far end of the room, she made a beeline straight for the hanar stationed there.

The hanar bobbed gently, their bioluminescence glowing softly. "This one welcomes—"

Jasmine raised her hand. "Yeah, hi. Listen, I've got a seriously wounded drell outside. He insisted on coming here. I can't get him out of the car on my own, can someone please come help me?"

The hanar lit up like the streets of Earth on Christmas Eve. "This one will send assistance right away."

Using a tentacle to push a button on the console in front of them, the hanar started to speak into the comm, but Jasmine didn't stick around to listen. She ran back out to the skycar, climbing into the driver's side on her knees. Cradling Thane's head with one hand, she slid the other under his arm and, as gently as she could, pulled him away from the door so it could be opened without him falling out.

She glanced up, spotting the clinic door opening. Jasmine left the skycar, running around to the other side to open the passenger door. Three hanar and an asari rushed to her side, a stretcher floating on mass effect fields between them. Jasmine reached into the car, ready to help pull Thane out when she felt gentle hands on her shoulders, trying to pull her back.

Jasmine shirked the hands off of her, throwing a glare over her shoulder at the asari. "Don't touch me." Her voice calm, but assertive.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but please allow us to move him. It's for his safety." The asari smiled warmly, just as calm and assertive as Jasmine.

Jasmine wanted to slap the smile off of her face, but instead took a deep breath and held her hands up, backing away. The hanar wrapped long tentacles around Thane's appendages, guiding him as the asari surrounded him in her biotics, lifting him from the skycar. Thane let out a pained groan, twisting Jasmine's stomach with a strange mix of relief and renewed worry.

The asari turned back to Shepard, the glow of biotics fading from her once Thane lay on the stretcher. "Ma'am, do you know what happened to him? What can you tell us?"

Jasmine rubbed her palms together, watching as the near-black flakes of dried blood fluttered free of her hands. "Three stab wounds to the lower left side of his abdomen. I packed the wounds with clotting sponges … there wasn't much else of use in the cab's first aid kit."

The asari opened her omni-tool, her fingers running over the display as the hanar started moving the stretcher toward the clinic. "Good, that's very good, ma'am. Do you know if he has any allergies to medications?"

"I have no clue." Jasmine rubbed the back of her wrist—one of the only places free of blood—across her forehead.

"Is he on any medications?" The asari waved Jasmine to her side as she followed the hanar.

"I—I don't know. I'm sorry, I can't answer these types of questions." Jasmine swallowed, a sick feeling wrapping its tainted fingers around her esophagus, threatening to force her to purge her stomach all over the asari's cute boots. If after all her effort to save him—all her prayers, begging God to keep him alive—if he died because she didn't know if he had any allergies to medications ….

They entered in time to see the hanar rushing Thane off through a set of doors at the back of the clinic. The doors slid closed behind them, the green glow of the release turning red. Jasmine broke away from the asari, jogging to the door, the sound of the asari's heels clacking on the tile behind her.

"Ma'am!" The asari grabbed Jasmine's shoulder, trying to pull her to a stop. "Ma'am, you can't go in there!"

Jasmine grabbed the asari's hand, spinning around, putting her in a wrist lock. Panic nipped at the edges of her mind, snarling like a pack of wild dogs, urging her to strike. She sucked in a deep breath, the fear in the bulging eyes of the asari doing little to quell the rising storm in Jasmine.

Letting go of the asari, Jasmine took a step back, rubbing her palms on her thighs. "Sorry," she mumbled, glancing around the clinic, "I didn't mean … where are they taking him?"

"It's alright." The asari smiled, the gesture not reaching her eyes. "I understand you're afraid for your … friend, but I must warn you, if you can't control yourself, I will be forced to restrain you." Threading her fingers together, she dropped her hands to rest in front of her. "They are taking him into surgery, depending on the severity of his injuries, it might take several hours. If you wish to help him, I can give you forms to fill out as much as you can, but you must wait out here."

Jasmine clenched her jaw, wanting to put the asari on her ass but knowing damn well it would only draw further unwanted attention to her, and probably result with her getting hung up on the ceiling with a Singularity. She cleared her throat, shaking her head. "I don't think there's much I can answer, but fine, sure."

A hanar approached from behind the asari, stopping just behind her. "Forgive this one for interrupting, but this one believes that this one knows the patient and can be of service."

Jasmine's eyes narrowed, her fingers twitching, itching to draw her pistol and demand to know who the hell the hanar was.

The asari turned to the side, relief filling her voice. "Beleno, oh good, I'll give you the forms to fill out, then. Do you know Ms. …?" She drew out the word, glancing at Jasmine.

Beleno. Jasmine knew the name. Beleno was the hanar that sent Thane after Felton. Still, it didn't mean Thane trusted this hanar … didn't mean she should trust them, either. "Salazar."

"This one has not had the opportunity to meet Ms. Salazar, but it would please this one to wait with Ms. Salazar, if she would allow." Beleno shifted, turning to face Jasmine squarely.

Jasmine crossed her arms and shrugged. "Sure. Why not?"

"Excellent." The asari nodded her head to Beleno. "I'll bring you the forms." She walked away without a second glance at Jasmine.

"This one believes the corner behind you, next to the waterfall, looks like a pleasant place to wait." Beleno's bioluminescence flashed a soft white blue as they spoke.

Jasmine didn't turn to look, instead nodding her head over her shoulder. "Lead the way."

She waited for Beleno to move, stepping to the side to keep him in her sights before following after him. The hanar led her to a secluded area of the waiting room, right next a waterfall. The soft rustle of water flowing over stone created enough noise dampening to cover their conversation if they spoke in hushed tones. She noticed Beleno kept his back to the room, the exact opposite of what she'd expect from someone even tangentially associated with the assassin profession. It wasn't until he spoke again, did she realized he meant to hide his bioluminescence from the rest of the room.

"This one wonders what happened to our friend." Beleno's tone came out low, soft, and inquiring.

Jasmine shook her head. "I wasn't there when it happened."

"This one wonders if anyone else was hurt."

Jasmine watched the hanar for a moment, debating on how much she wanted to tell Beleno. "I didn't see anyone else. Just the duct rats who found him. Whoever stabbed him got away."

"This one is having trouble understanding how that could be."

"Look, Beleno, I've had shit for sleep and my patience is wearing thin. I can't do this little song and dance. I get it, hanar are all about being polite, but right now I just can't." Jasmine rubbed the back of her wrist over her forehead before staring at the dried blood on her hands. "So let me just cut to the chase here. You know who I am?"

Beleno's bioluminescence flashed softly but they said nothing aloud for a moment. "This one believes you are the one called Shepard."

 _Nice. Vague, but does the job._

"Alright, yeah, I'm Shepard. Which means either Thane or the hanar told you I went to Felton's, and you know what I do."

"Yes, this one is aware of your affiliations."

The asari pushed a console on wheels over to Beleno, parking it in front of him before using her foot to push down the breaks on the wheels. She glanced Jasmine's way, dipping her head before leaving again. Beleno lifted a tentacle to the screen. Jasmine watched for a moment, distantly fascinated by the movements of the hanar, using Beleno's distraction to take the time to order her thoughts.

 _He knows who I am; what I am. He clearly knows Thane, and I'm guessing he knows … when the hell did I decide Beleno's a 'he'? Whatever. I'm betting he's involved with the Compact … maybe Thane's old handler if he felt comfortable reaching out to Thane personally. Thane stayed in contact with him after Felton's, checking on the other hanar … I bet he knew Beleno would be here. Maybe he counted on it._

Jasmine bit her upper lip, chewing on the little nib of dead skin in the middle. "I don't think he was on a job, I saw him earlier tonight … I think he would've mentioned it if he were."

 _Would he though? I gate crashed his last job. Hell, my ribs are still healing._

She sighed. "I don't know, maybe he wouldn't have. He was barely coherent when I found him. All I know is he lost a significant amount of blood from three stab wounds. I did what I could to stop the bleeding and brought him here at his request."

"This one thinks Thane was lucky you found him."

Jasmine narrowed her eyes. "Are you … are you suggesting I had something to do with him getting hurt? Because if you are, so help me God, I will shoot you right here, right now."

Beleno flashed soundlessly again, the spasmodic rhythm lifting Jasmine's hackles.

Her head jutted forward on her neck. "Are you … are you _laughing_ at me? Oh that's fucking rich."

"This one does not mean to cause offense. This one wishes to assure you this one does not believe you are responsible. This one thanks you for your aid … both times."

Jasmine groaned. "Sorry … I'm tired and cranky. I shouldn't be taking it out on you."

"This one will make sure Thane is taken care of, if you wish to return to your bed."

Jasmine shook her head, glancing at her hands. "I'm not going anywhere besides outside to scrub his blood out of the cab and then to the bathroom to wash my hands. Excuse me."

* * *

Jasmine sat in one of the few waiting room chairs, exhausted to the point that not even pacing kept her eyes open. Thinking it better to fall asleep in a chair than on her feet, she decided to sit. Beleno didn't go far from her, and she found it more than a little unnerving. He'd proven useful, though, calling in God-only-knows-who to take care of the cab for her, promising her it would be cleaned completely and returned to a Citadel Rapid Transit stand on the other side of the Citadel, it's navigation and GPS systems wiped clean.

She'd lost track of time, the surrounding sounds of soft music and whispering waterfalls lulling her into a semi-conscious state. She wondered if it's exactly what they were meant to do; to keep those stuck out in the waiting rooms calm while someone they loved got poked and prodded somewhere in the back. Keeping her eyes on Beleno as he did the hanar version of pacing, Jasmine sat up in her seat, perking up to listen when another hanar approached him.

"This one recognizes the human, she helped this one and the others. This one wishes to thank her," the new hanar said, flashing softly.

"Fantastic," Jasmine said under her breath, falling back against her chair, feeling too tired to deal with any of it. Granted, she'd been concerned about the hanar slaves, and she was happy to know she'd been able to help save some of them, but they could've picked a better time.

 _Why aren't they back on Kahje? I thought Thane said Beleno transported the survivors home._

"Saylan, this one is uncertain if the human will wish to be addressed at this time." Beleno turned a hair, seeming to glance at Jasmine.

"This one understands. Perhaps this one will have the opportunity another time." Saylan turned, slowly moving away.

"Wait." Jasmine stood, rubbing her eyes, and made her way to Saylan. "It's alright, I don't mind." She plastered a smile on her face for Saylan's benefit, more than a little certain it looked as creepy as it felt. "I'm glad to see you're doing well." And she was; she really, really felt happy for them. The images of those hanar, shackled down in Felton's basement, would haunt her for years to come.

How could they not? They'd stay with her just as the images of the fourteen women she'd been forced to leave behind; naked, filthy, and chained to beds stained with piss, shit, blood, and other substances she didn't want to think too closely on. Jasmine killed the two unknown men guarding them, otherwise her hands were tied. She'd been given leave to take out anyone working for Anastasia Bellefleur she needed to, but ordered to leave the sex slaves for local law enforcement to find—an anonymous call would be placed informing them of the location as soon as Jasmine reported she'd left the area. It killed Jasmine to do, but she followed orders, not letting the poor women so much as even get a glimpse of her face. But she saw their faces—all of their faces—through her scope, and she would remember every last one of them. Jasmine took great pleasure in taking Bellefleur's life that day.

 _Focus, Jasmine._

The hanar bobbed in front of her silent, and Beleno watched her. At least she thought he watched her. How the hell could she really tell?

Jasmine grimaced. "I'm sorry, it's been a long night. What did you say?"

"This one does not wish to burden you." Saylan hesitated before continuing, "This one only wished to thank you. This one does not believe this one would have lived much longer had help not come soon."

"You're welcome, I'm just sorry we didn't get there sooner." Jasmine glanced at Beleno before looking back at Saylan. "I thought you all would've gone back to Kahje by now, were you hurt too badly to go home with the others?"

Beleno and Saylan shared a silent conversation, their bioluminescence flickering in and out of ranges she could see. Jasmine's brow furrowed, and she crossed her arms, intent on waiting them out.

"This one was captured on the Citadel. This one chose to stay here when the others left," Saylan said.

Jasmine narrowed her eyes before forcing herself to relax. Clearly, something more went on there she wasn't privy to, but she wouldn't push, it really wasn't any of her business.

She smiled again and nodded. "Right. Well, I'm really glad to see you back on your … uh, I'm glad to see you're up and around."

Jasmine heard the annoying clack of heels on tile and glanced over her shoulder. The asari nurse from earlier made her way over to them. Jasmine turned, Saylan already forgotten as her attention riveted on the nurse.

"Excuse me, Beleno?" The nurse stopped a few paces away, nodding her head in lieu of asking Beleno to join her away from Jasmine and Saylan.

Beleno moved to the asari, and the two spoke quietly together for a moment. Jasmine couldn't hear either of them, but with the way the asari kept glancing at Jasmine, she knew they had to be talking about Thane. Like hell would she be left out of the discussion.

"Excuse me," she mumbled over her shoulder to Saylan.

Jasmine strode over to the pair and smiled, all teeth, at the asari. "Do you have an update for _us_?"

The nurse glanced at Beleno before shifting her gaze back to Jasmine. "Yes, Mr. Naura is out of surgery and in the recovery room. The surgery went well, he should be fine."

Jasmine's heart skipped a beat, her shoulders sagging in relief. "Can we see him?"

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but the recovery area is for relatives only." The nurse turned to Beleno, dismissing Jasmine completely. "Beleno, if you'll follow me I'll take you to his room."

" _Excuse me_?" Jasmine snapped.

The asari sighed, just a slight rise and fall of her shoulders, and turned back to Jasmine, an obviously forced smile on her face. "Yes, Ms. Salazar? Is there something I can do for you?"

"What you can do for me is take me to see Mr. Nuara. Now. Please." Jasmine crossed her arms over her chest, if for no other reason than to keep herself from throttling the nurse.

The asari tilted her head to the side. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Ms. Salazar, but as I said, the recovery area is for relatives only."

Jasmine snorted, dropping her weight to one hip. "Are you telling me you can't tell the difference between a hanar and a drell? What the hell kind of nurse are you?"

"Excuse me?" The asari cocked a brow ridge, a sliver of biotic energy seeping out of her pores to coat her skin in blue flames.

Jasmine smirked. "You heard me. If you're going to take Beleno in to see him, then you can take me in there, too. So drop the bullshit, I am soooo not in the mood. I _am_ going in."

The asari's biotics flared to life, no longer a smolder, but a roaring blaze. "Ms. Salazar, I warned you."

Jasmine reached behind her, reading to pull her pistol out and tell Nurse Bitchface where she could stick her warning.

Beleno moved in front of Jasmine, acting as a living barrier between the two pissed off women. "This one believes an exception can be made. This one believes Mr. Nuara would be pleased if Ms. Salazar were allowed to see him. Please, this one does not believe there is a need for hasty, regrettable actions."

Jasmine glanced around, every hanar and asari in the place stared at the spectacle. She slowly let her hand drop from her back, suddenly very grateful for Beleno's interception. She'd never be able to explain herself to Leon if she let things get bloody here with so many witnesses.

 _Jesus Christ, I'm losing it over him. Coming completely unraveled._

"Fine. But if this gets back to the director, I'm not going to be the one to answer for it," the nurse said from somewhere on the other side of Beleno. "Right this way."

Beleno moved out of Jasmine's way, and together they followed Nurse Bitchface through a set of doors and through winding halls. She stopped in front of a closed door, and held her hand out, motioning for them to go ahead of her. Jasmine opened the door and stepped inside, tears stinging her eyes the second she saw Thane.

He remained unconscious, tubes and wires attached to him in various places. It looked like they were giving him oxygen, and something in an IV; monitoring his blood pressure, heart rate, temperature … all of the usual stuff. Something twisted inside of her. Seeing him lying there, hooked up to all of those machines, unconscious and helpless … just felt so wrong.

She moved to stand at Thane's left side, opposite of all the equipment monitoring him. Jasmine never liked seeing people in hospitals, they reeked of antiseptic and someone always cried. This time, it just happened to be her. At least she wasn't bawling her eyes out. Jasmine wiped the sleeve of her hoodie under her eyes and took a shuddering breath, letting her gaze roam over Thane.

Beleno moved to Jasmine's side, standing next to her in silence while the nurse checked the machinery and left without saying another word. When the door slid closed behind the nurse, Jasmine lifted the edge of Thane's blanket, pulling it back until she could see the white bandages contrasting against his green and black scales. After a moment, she tugged the covers back up, all the way to his shoulders, careful not to pull anything loose. She smoothed the edges of the blanket down before giving in to her urge to actually touch him, running her hand over the side of his face and head.

"This one was unaware of how close you are to him." Beleno's voice broke the silence.

Jasmine blushed, forgetting Beleno stayed in the room with her for a moment. She pulled her hand away, tucking them both under her arms. "He's … my friend." Then why did the word leave such a bitter taste in her mouth?


	15. David

**David**

The soft sound of someone breathing nearby pulled Thane from the last vestiges of his drug-induced sleep. The sharp, biting scent of antiseptic filled his nostrils. He opened his eyes, blinking once, twice, against the dim light filling his vision, willing his eyes to adjust as he took in his surroundings. Turning his head to the sound of another breathing, he saw Jasmine sitting slumped in a chair not far from him, eyes closed, chest rising and falling steadily with sleep.

The sight of her took him by surprise, and he sucked in a deep breath. Pain lanced through his side, pulling his attention away from Jasmine. Lifting the blanket and sheet covering him, he saw himself wrapped in bandages, and only then did he realize where he was. Closing his eyes, he let the memories from the night before bubble to the surface, keeping them just far enough at bay he wouldn't lose himself in them.

 _I walk the catwalks, Kalahira guiding me. Thoughts wandering from Irikah to Jasmine and back again. So many years spent walking in the shadows. Taking contracts in places where a drell's face wouldn't go unnoticed. I find I miss walking in the light of day, another face lost in a sea of many._

 _A muffled cry breaks my train of thought. I stop, looking around me. Where? Where did it come from? "David, no! Let me go … please let me go." The voice is feminine, sobbing, frightened. I track the sound. Two figures struggling in the alley just ahead. Hard to make out … asari … and human male. He strikes her. Glint of metal in his other hand. My body moves, a tool given leave to defend._

 _Arashu, I do your bidding. Guide my hand, and lend me your grace._

 _I reach the end of the catwalk. Grip the frame. Sharp metal biting into my fingertips. I lower myself. Dropping to the ground. Knees bend to absorb the impact. She sees me. Eyes widening, she gasps. He starts to turn to me. "Run." She hesitates only a second before fleeing. I lift my hand, ready to check the man's shoulder. Stop him from turning. I needn't kill him, his victim is gone. Disarm and disable._

 _Light catches the knife in his hand again. I hesitate, Irikah's face flashing before my eyes. Not as I remember her, alive and real, but touched with death as in my dream, plunging Stiv Kay's dagger into me. He turns completely, striking out at my face with his fist. I dodge the blow, stepping to the side. He lashes out with his knife. I brush his hand away. Irikah's macabre face dances before me again. I stumble back._

" _That cunt owed me, asshole." Spittle flies from his mouth. "Now you're going to pay her debt." He lunges at me, his blade arcs through the air. I step to the side, gasping for breath. My heart pounds fiercely against my ribs. Blood coats her teeth, drips down her chin. I blink and she vanishes, replaced with the man once more. He swings again. I counter; knock the blade aside and palm strike to his nose. Blood pours from his face. Irikah's face before me, blood spilling from her mouth. I shake my head but Irikah remains, grisly and menacing. She claws at me, scales flaking from her fingers ._

 _He slams a fist into me, low and heavy, the force of it stealing my breath. I look down, shocked to see steel protruding from my left side. Irikah's hand is wrapped around the hilt. This … this is not my Irikah. She wouldn't want this. It's not too late, I know. I can kill him now, before he even pulls his dagger free. I look up and see her face. I find I can't move. Can't speak. Kalahira, why have you brought me here? I watch in horror as she pulls out the blade only to punch it into my flesh again. Mistress of inscrutable depths, is this your will? The blade tugs at my flesh as it slides free. My legs weaken and I stumble. I … I don't wish to die. Not now. I've only just found … Kalahira, would you ask this of me?_

 _Irikah stabs me again. Dead, white eyes shift into brown. Green and yellow scales become the pale skin of a human. I see him clearly now; he sneers at me. I take a step back. Lift my hand to my side. Blood flows freely from my wounds. Something in the human's eyes shifts. Expression changing from rage to shock. He looks down at his own hand. I back away, my legs heavy and difficult to move. I feel detached. Disconnected. More watching than reacting. The pain only a distant thing barely brushing against my conscious. His gaze finds mine. Fear. Remorse. He takes a step forward, his hand reaching out. I feel the wall behind me, and I let my weight fall against it._

" _Shit! Shit man are you—shit! Damn it. You shoulda minded your own damn business. Shit." He looks around, his gaze frantic. Glances back at me and shakes his head. He runs, rounding the corner and disappears from sight. I slide down the wall. There are people nearby, I can hear them. I should call for help, but I can smell the sea now. The sound of its waves whisper in my ears. Irikah's voice, vibrant and full of life, beckons to me from the distant shores._

 _I don't know how much time passes. My breathing grows weaker. It no longer hurts. A child crawls out of a duct near by. Human, a boy. He turns, holding his hands up. Thin arms reach down to him. He pulls a girl out of the duct, helping her to her feet. They come a little closer, their feet shuffling to a stop when they see me. I recognize them, though their names elude me. How odd. Arashu, don't let them see this. My eyes slip closed._

 _Someone shakes me. Pain igniting in my body once more. "Sere Krios!" I force my eyes open, finding them heavier than they've ever been. Another human child. Older. Darker hair. Mouse. His name is Mouse. I open my mouth, try to speak but my tongue won't form the words. I want to tell him … something. Ask him … "Jasmine …." My eyelids are too heavy, I can't keep them open._

 _Agony. My insides are on fire. Kalahira have mercy. Pressure. What is … "Sere Krios, please hold on. Mouse is getting her, he's going to get her now."_

" _You're doing … keep putting …." The voice fills me with sadness. I can't …. Her voice doesn't belong here._

 _My head is being moved. I try … I can't … I pull my eyes open. My wife smiles at me. Sunset colored eyes sparkle in the sun. "Irikah?"_

 _She shakes my head. "Hey, come on. Open your eyes. I need you to look at me." It's the wrong voice. Her voice doesn't belong here. I struggle … I want to listen to the voice, but I can't. My eyelids are so heavy. I keep trying; for the voice, but I can't get them very far. "I can't. I … I'm sorry, Irikah."_

 _I'm walking along the shores of Kahje. Irikah and Kolyat running ahead of me, Irikah's chasing our son. I smile, the sound of their laughter floating back to me on the breeze. Rain falls, gentle and warm, sliding down my face and rolling off my leathers._

 _I'm being ripped open, set on fire. It's agonizing. I cry out. My eyes snap open with renewed strength. Consciousness tears through my mind. I snap my jaw closed, cutting off my scream. Jasmine. Jasmine is in front of me, and she's—_

The door opened, and Thane looked up.

An asari wearing a lab coat entered, glancing up from her omni-tool to smile at Thane. "Good evening, Mr. Nuara. I'm your nurse, my name's Tesmeni. How are you feeling?"

Jasmine jerked awake in her chair, and Thane let his gaze drift to her. Dark circles rimmed her eyes as she blinked rapidly, pulling her hand away from the small of her back, rubbing it along her thigh and knee instead. Her gaze found his, and he saw her shoulders slump as a smile lit up her face.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you, Ms. Salazar," the asari said, moving to the side of Thane's bed.

Thane didn't look away from Jasmine, he couldn't, even if he wanted to. She didn't look away from him either.

Jasmine covered her mouth, yawning and blinking again. "It's alright," she said, her gaze still holding on to his, "It's only the fifth time in the last two hours, you're slacking." She stood, stretching her arms over her head, revealing a swath of skin beneath the hem of her shirt.

Thane wanted desperately to run his fingers over her smooth skin, brush his lips across it, even as his heart ached at the memory of Irikah's words in his dreams. Catching sight of his hand reaching out to Jasmine, Thane cursed the drugs still in his system, muddling his thoughts and making him feel as if he lacked full control over himself. He pulled his hand back, letting it drop on the bed next to him. His breath caught in his throat when Jasmine crossed the meter or so separating them and took his hand in hers without hesitation. Squeezing gently, she brushed her thumb over the back of his knuckles.

"What's your level of pain, Mr. Nuara?" Tesmeni asked, folding back his sheet before peeling away the bandages.

Jasmine glanced at his wound, the corners of her mouth twitching, her brow creasing. Thane tightened his grip on her hand, just enough to get her to look back at him. She smiled at him reassuringly, but he could see the doubt in her eyes. Mimicking her earlier gesture, he ran his thumb over the back of her hand.

"Mr. Nuara?" Tesmeni pressed the bandages back into place with gentle hands.

"It's tolerable." Thane finally turned to look at the asari, wishing she would leave.

She smiled at him, resting her hand on his shoulder. Jasmine's fingers twitched in his. Thane turned his gaze back to her, but her expression told him nothing.

"Are you sure? You can have more pain medication whenever you're ready for it." The asari nurse patted his shoulder.

"I'm certain," Thane said, not taking his gaze away from Jasmine's.

"Alright. Well, when you're ready, just push the call button, and I'll be right in." Tesmeni moved away from the bed. "I'll give you and Ms. Salazar some time alone, but I believe Beleno would also like to see you. Should I notifying him you're awake?"

Jasmine snorted softly, a satisfied smile ghosting over her lips. Thane's mouth twitched in response, wondering what brought that reaction from her.

"Yes, thank you." Thane spared another glance at the asari, forcing a polite smile onto his face, silently willing her away.

She returned his smile, nodding her head before finally leaving him alone with Jasmine.

* * *

 _Finally._

"You stayed." The lighting in the room did nothing to break through the dark outer covering of his eyes, instead making them appear as black as obsidian.

Jasmine smirked, shrugging her shoulders. "Well yeah. You were out cold by the time we got here, I couldn't leave you like that. Besides, what other chance will I get to see you utterly defenseless?"

Thane chuckled once before cutting his laughter off short, snapping his teeth together.

Jasmine furrowed her brow, squeezing his hand in sympathy. "So, _Mr. Nuara_ , how are you _really_ feeling?"

Blowing a small puff of air from his nose, his jaw relaxed. "I'll be fine in a few days, I'm sure."

"That's not what I asked." Jasmine pulled her hand from his, tugging the covers back up around him. Just like every other hospital or doctor's office she'd ever been in, the place had a chill to it and she felt certain lying there shirtless with half his body exposed couldn't be comfortable. She smoothed the edges of the blanket down, turning her gaze back to him.

"I—it hurts, but I've felt worse pain." Thane shifted the blankets, pulling his arm back out from beneath the covers.

Jasmine stepped away, pushing the chair she slept in over to the edge of his bed and sat down. "You were in surgery for four hours, out cold all day. You want to tell me what the hell happened last night?" She fought to keep her voice as neutral as possible, despite the roiling mix of anger, hurt, relief, and … something else—something she still didn't want to look too closely at—churning away inside of her, making her fingers tremble and her mouth dry.

"I," Thane started to say, pausing to grimace and drop his gaze from Jasmine's. "Not particularly."

Jasmine took a deep breath, letting it out slow, counting down from ten in her head. Leaning forward, she propped an elbow up on the bed next to Thane's shoulder and cupped her chin in her hand. "Okay. Will you at least tell me if we should be expecting someone to show up here to finish you off? There weren't any bodies in the alley, whoever did this to you … they're still out there."

"No, no one will be coming for me. There's nothing to worry about." He turned his head to meet her gaze again. "Forgive me for saying so, but you look exhausted, siha. Perhaps you should return home and get some rest."

Brow twitching, Jasmine smirked. "You trying to get rid of me, Mr. Nuara?"

"Not at all, Ms. Salazar." He returned her smile, lips parting enough to show his teeth.

"You sure? Because you basically just told me I look like crap, and called me something in a language I don't understand—and isn't translating … soooo, I'm thinking it's some drell insult." Jasmine poked his shoulder with her free hand.

Grin widening, Thane shook his head. "I assure you, it's no insult, and you look tired, not like 'crap'." He lifted his hand, waving a finger beneath her eye, a hair's width from touching her cheek. "You have the bruised look humans get when they haven't slept."

"Mmm, well, I didn't get much sleep. This chair sucks, and the nurse kept coming in to gawk at you. I almost shot her just so I could get some rest. I think she likes you." Jasmine snorted to cover the bitter taste of jealousy biting at the back of her tongue. "I bet if you ask her, she'll give you her number."

"I've no need for her number. Perhaps you should ask instead." Thane waved his hand, letting it drop back to the bed. "You seem to have a way with the asari at Chora's Den."

Tilting her head back, Jasmine laughed. "Oh, no. Nurse Tesmeni doesn't like me _at all_."

"And why is that?" Thane raised a brow ridge.

Jasmine lifted her shoulder, doing her best to affect an air of nonchalance. "She tried to tell me I couldn't come in here until you woke up because I'm not a relative. I told her I was coming in here whether she liked it or not. Things got … a little heated. She charged her biotics, I reached for my gun." She shrugged again. "Beleno talked us down and convinced her to let me in."

Thane blinked his inner lids twice, following it up with blinking his outer lids but said nothing.

Heat raced up her neck, fanning out over her cheeks. "What? For all I knew some big bad would drop out of the ceiling and kill you while you slept. I wasn't going to leave you when you weren't even able to call out for help." She smiled. "Besides, how will I ever get good enough to kick your ass and rub your nose in it if you're dead?"

Thane chuckled, his hand shifting to his abdomen with a groan. "Ah, I see. Your goal was never to merely prove your worth, forcing me to acknowledge your skill, but to best me."

"Mhmm. Damn right. I owe you a good ass kicking." Jasmine winked at him. "So yeah, you don't get to die on my watch."

The door slid open, and they both turned to look as Beleno entered. Beleno hesitated in the doorway until Thane waved him over.

Glancing at Jasmine, he smiled softly. "Would you mind giving us a few moments?"

"Sure." Jasmine smiled, pushing the chair back from the bed and standing. Unsure why, exactly, but unable to help herself, she reached out and squeezed his hand again before leaving the room.

* * *

Beleno turned, watching Jasmine as she walked away, waiting for the door to close behind her before he spoke. "I am pleased to see you are recovering."

Thane dipped his head, acknowledging the honor being gifted to him once more. "Thank you, Dances With Drell. It pleases me to have you here."

"Thane, there is something I must tell you. The doctors found something most upsetting during your examination." Beleno's bioluminescence flashed with the distress he wouldn't give voice to.

Thane folded his hands over his abdomen, just above the wounds, bracing himself for what he long suspected, but only now dreaded hearing. "It's curious the doctors would speak with you before speaking with me."

"Do not be angered, Thane. The doctors required someone able to make decisions on your behalf, you were in no condition to speak for yourself." Beleno moved a little closer to the bed. "I only wished to see you well."

Thane focused on his hands. "I see. I'm not angry, only concerned."

"The doctors said you are exhibiting the early signs of Kepral's Syndrome. It is still too early to diagnose." Beleno paused, hesitation and doubt coloring his soft pink flesh in shades of vibrant blues. "There are treatments. The doctors believe they can prevent the progression of the damage."

Thane closed his eyes, the ache in his chest roaring to life to mock him.

* * *

Jasmine waited next to one of the many, many waterfalls in the waiting room, leaning against the only dry wall she could find. There were a few chairs spread throughout the area, but she didn't feel like sitting. The muscles in her neck and shoulders ached from sleeping sitting up, and she rolled her head and arms trying to loosen them.

Asari and hanar rushed past her, running to Thane's room, and for one terrifying second, Jasmine's heart stopped in her chest. Her feet started her moving before her brain caught up with what was happening. Reaching the door, she stopped in her tracks, seeing Thane sitting up on the edge of his bed, pulling out his IV and ripping off the various instruments monitoring his vitals. Jasmine's breath rushed from her on a wave of relief, and she ran her hand over her head.

"Mr. Nuara! Please!" Tesmeni's hands fluttered uselessly, trying to stop Thane from standing. "It's too soon for you to be moving around."

"Thank you, for your help and hospitality, but I'll be fine." Thane pushed himself up from the bed, forcing Tesmeni back a step. "I must go."

"This one believes it is unwise for you to leave. This one believes you risk further injury without someone to assist you," a hanar said, hovering at the edge of the bed.

"I'll be fine, I assure you." Thane glanced at the hanar, his gaze catching on Jasmine's as he turned back to Tesmeni. "Excuse me, please."

"At least let me set things up to have a nurse stay with you for a few days. You'll need help cleaning and re-bandaging your wounds, moving around your home, preparing meals … Mr. Nuara, you really should stay here. Please." Tesmeni put a hand on Thane's shoulder, pleading with him.

Jasmine knew they were right, he wasn't in any condition to care for himself, but she also knew they weren't going to be able to convince him to stay anymore than they'd be able to convince him to let a nurse stay with him. But maybe …. "I'll stay with him." Everyone turned to look at her, but she only met Thane's gaze, silently willing him to not argue.

He dropped his eyes, looking at the floor in front of him. "That … that won't be necessary."

Jasmine moved away from the doorway and into the room, weaving her way past hanar and asari to stop in front of Thane. "Well, we can stand here and argue about it while they keep pushing you to stay—and I think you know how stubborn I can be—or you can agree, get dressed, and we can walk out of here in five minutes."

Thane lifted his gaze to meet hers, but he gave her no sign of what he might be thinking. "Very well."

"Good." Jasmine turned, looking at the doctors and nurses with raised eyebrows. "I assume this works for all of you?" When no one argued, she continued, "Good. We'll settle the bill on the way out."

Beleno moved to Jasmine's side. "This one has already taken care of the costs."

* * *

Jasmine couldn't deny she really liked the way Thane's arm felt draped over her shoulders, even if only so she could help support some of his weight as they walked from the skycar up to his apartment. She had a feeling he wasn't leaning on her nearly as much as he needed to, but she wouldn't push him. She kept her arm around his waist, her hand on the small of his back when he took his arm away to unlock his door, fighting back a smile when he put it right back without complaint. He'd given her guff when she insisted on helping him out of the clinic and into the car, and then again when they arrived but it seemed he'd given up the fight.

Jasmine helped him inside. "Bed? Couch?"

"Desk, please." Thane waved at the corner of the living room where his desk sat.

Jasmine turned her head to look at him, lifting her eyebrow. "Are you sure?"

"I am." He nodded to her.

She helped him over to the desk, pulling the chair out for him. "Will you be okay for a little while by yourself. I'm going to run back to my place and grab a few things, I'll be quick."

"You … I didn't think you actually intended to stay." Thane looked up at her, his brow ridges raised to near comical heights. "Jasmine, you don't need to stay here. I'll be fine."

Jasmine sucked her teeth. "Is this a pride thing or a trust thing, because I got to tell you, you're not fine, and you do need someone here." Rubbing absently at her stiff neck, she shrugged her shoulder. "But if you really don't want me here, it's your call."

"No—I." Thane hesitated, letting his words die off.

Jasmine swallowed, shrugging again. "Hey, don't worry about it, no hard feelings. You can always call me if you need anything." She started to walk away, only making it a step before his fingers brushed hers, stopping her in her tracks. She turned back, glancing down at his hand before meeting his gaze.

Thane slid his hand into hers, his fingers curling around hers, tugging her back to him with the gentlest pressure. "Jasmine." His voice strained, but soft as he took her other hand, too. "I do want you here, but I don't want you to feel like you must stay. I don't wish to burden you."

Jasmine licked her lips, her heart fluttering against her ribs, and ran her thumbs over the back of his hands, marveling at the smoothness of the small scales covering his skin. "This coming from the man who dragged my drunk ass home and cleaned my place while I slept." She grinned, glancing down at their joined hands. "Thane, I wouldn't have offered if it wasn't something I wanted to do. So, I'll be back soon?"

He smiled. "Indeed." Turning her hands over in his, he squeezed them gently. "Thank you." He let go of her hands, dropping his own to his thighs.

"You're welcome." Jasmine perked up, happy to have things settled. "Now, do you need anything before I go? Need me to get anything while I'm out?"

"No, but here," Thane said opening his omni-tool, "let me give you the code for the door. Unless, you want to work on your hacking skills?" He cocked a brow ridge, a mischievous smile tugging at his lips.

"Pffft. Like you don't have your door trapped six different ways. Give me the code." She opened her omni-tool, ready to accept the transfer. Glancing at it briefly, she closed her omni-tool and grinned. "It's been awhile since a guy gave me the key to his place. I feel so special." She tilted her head to the side, sticking her lip out in a pout. "Of course, it'd mean a lot more if I knew you weren't going to move in a week."

* * *

Jasmine opened her omni-tool, pulling up the code Thane gave her and passed it over the lock. Opening the door, she made her way down the hall, her bag slung over her shoulder. She expected to see Thane still sitting at his desk, she'd only been gone about forty minutes—long enough to take a quick shower and pack a bag—but when she reached the end of the hall he was nowhere to be seen.

"Thane?" Dropping her bag, she glanced toward the closed bedroom and bathroom doors.

"I'm in the kitchen." He sounded choked.

Jasmine heard a rattle as she rounded the corner, making her way to him. "You alright?" Reaching the kitchen doorway, she paused.

A glass of water sat on the counter, Thane's fists pressed into the surface on either side. The little white bottle of pain medication the clinic sent home with him clenched in his right hand. His eyes were closed as he took slow, deep breaths in and out. He'd changed clothes while she went to her apartment, trading out the his leather getup for the straw colored, loose fitting pants and tunic she'd seen him in before.

Jasmine moved to his side, easing the bottle from his grip. Tesmeni had prepared a bag for him to take home, complete with pain medication, antibiotics to prevent infection, Medi-gel, and fresh bandages. Jasmine glanced at the label, deliberately ignoring the name of the medication—knowing it had to be narcotic, making her better off not knowing exactly what type—and checked the dose before opening it for him. "And here I was looking forward to helping you change," she joked, more of an attempt to distract herself than him.

She pulled the insert out of the bottle, setting it on the counter and shook two of the pills out in her hand, holding them out to him. Turned out she didn't need to bother avoiding the name on the label, as soon as she saw the pills she knew exactly what they were: Hexaline. The asari-produced narcotic similar to the opioids produced back on Earth. She'd seen enough Hexaline passed around—taken enough—during her time on the streets to know the drug well.

He offered her a pained smile, picking up one of the pills and snapping it in half before dropping one of the halves back into her hand. "You shouldn't tease me, I'm injured." He put the half he kept in his mouth, and swallowed it down with the glass of water.

Jasmine raised her eyebrow. No way would a quarter of the dose ease his pain. "Who says I'm teasing?" She held her hand out toward him. "That's not going to help, you know it. You're twice my size, and even without a drug history, that little bit wouldn't touch stab wounds on me. At least take a whole one."

Thane snorted softly and gave a small shake of his head. "It'll help enough."

Sighing, she dumped the pills back in the bottle and put the lid back on. She glanced at the bottle, chewing on her upper lip before holding it out to him. "Probably should keep these put away. Better I don't see them sitting around."

Thane accepted the bottle from her without a trace of judgement or censure, and finished his glass of water. Jasmine took the glass from him and sat it in the sink.

"I'll wash it after I get you settled … somewhere not your desk. Are you ready to lie down for a while?" Jasmine wrapped her arm around his waist.

Thane draped his arm over her shoulder, letting her guide him through the apartment. "Yes, I believe that would be wise."

She helped him to his bedroom, pulling back the covers on his bed before he sat down on the edge. "I'm stealing these sheets when you move." She ran her hand over the satiny fabric while he adjusted his pillows and laid down.

"They do sell them in stores." He grinned at her. "If the Alliance pays you so little you must resort to stealing bedsheets, perhaps you should consider freelancing."

Jasmine laughed, pulling the covers up over him. "They pay me well enough. More than I have any need for, really. But where's the fun in that?" Her smile died away and she waved her hand at the edge of the bed. "Alright if I sit here for a minute?"

"Of course." Thane started to push himself over, giving her more room, but stopped when she brushed the gesture aside.

Sitting down on the edge of the bed facing him, she ignored the feel of his thigh pressed against hers, separated only by clothing and blankets. Her head cocked to the side, she took a moment to gather her thoughts. "You said some things last night." She held up her hand to cut him off before he could deflect. "We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, but I need to know … you know, you're not going to do anything stupid." Jasmine closed her eyes, sucking in a deep breath as memories of her mother's lifeless body, soaked in a pool of her own blood, threatened to consume her. Her voice shook as she spoke, "I need to know you're not going to hurt yourself." She opened her eyes, but couldn't quite meet his gaze as she blinked back the tears stinging the edges of her eyes.

 _Because I can't lose you. Not you. Not like that._

For a moment, his steady breathing was the only answer he gave, until at last she met his gaze. "You have my word, siha."

The tears forced themselves from her eyes. Jasmine clenched her jaw and glanced at the ceiling, frustrated with herself for crying. Thane said nothing more, sitting in silence while she collected herself. Wiping the back of her hand under her eyes, she took a shuddering breath.

"Thank you." She sniffed, forcing a smile on her face. "So, are you going to tell me what siha means or am I going to have to look it up?"

"It's …." Thane took in a slow breath, brushing his thumb back and forth across his lower lip.

Jasmine opened her omni-tool.

"Wait, please." Thane cleared his throat, pressing his palms into the mattress to adjust himself. "Siha is … one of the warrior-angels of the goddess Arashu."

 _Warrior-angel?_

Jasmine shook her head, her eyebrows slowly climbing upwards on her face. "Why …?"

"Ah. Perhaps we can save why for another time?" Thane's brow ridges pulled up and in.

Oh, but now she really wanted to know. A knot formed in her throat, swallowing against it, she nodded her head. "Yeah. Sure." Jasmine stood, stepping away from the bed and rubbing her palms on her thighs. "Did you, uh, did you eat anything?"

Thane stilled, his brow smoothing out. "I've made you uncomfortable. My apologies, it wasn't my intention. I'll refrain from using the term, if you wish."

"No, I just," Jasmine said, scratching her temple, "wasn't expecting warrior-angel. Stubborn mule, maybe. Loud mouth. Bossy woman. Crazy bitch." She forced a smile on her face and shrugged. "Warrior-angel sounds a little to grand to be associated with me."

His shoulder's seemed to relax, the corners of his mouth turning up in a soft smile. "I think siha is more fitting. Fierce in wrath, and a tenacious protector."

"Pffft. Now you're just sweet-talking me." Jasmine leaned against the door frame, lightly crossing her arms in front of her. She let her gaze roam over his face for a moment, taking in the curve of his cheeks, the cupid's bow of his lips, and the emerald of his eyes. Her heart ached for the chance to run her fingers over his face again, just to remind herself he was alive. She licked her lips, glancing away. "You hungry?"

"No, but I should eat something, and so should you." Thane started to pull back the covers. "I'll help."

"Nuh uh, don't you dare. Stay in the bed, I'll fix us something light. You'll survive eating in bed." Jasmine grinned. "I promise."

* * *

The moment she disappeared from his sight, all he could think about was how badly he wanted her back. He wanted her next to him, where he could see her and hear her. Where he could smell the sweet, citrus scent pervading the air around her. He wanted her near enough to reach out and touch, even if just to hold her hand again.

Thane looked at his hands, remembering how easily she'd slipped her hand into his when he reached for her in the hospital, and then again before she left, she'd allowed him to take her hands in his without reservation. Closing his eyes, he listened to her moving around in the kitchen, letting himself remember what it felt like to hold her pressed against him. Her pupils had dilated almost instantly, her breathing coming in quick, shallow gasps. The pulse in her wrist fluttered against his fingertips as she met his gaze, her head tilting back. He wanted to kiss her … allowed himself to believe she would welcome his lips on hers … but then, he saw Irikah's face and guilt washed over him.

Had he been right? If he didn't see Irikah's face just then, if he'd taken the leap and claimed her mouth with his own, would she have pushed him away? Did it matter now? After everything that happened the night before, having her still be there when he woke up was more than he could've asked for. More than he dared to hope for. He couldn't doubt she cared for him, perhaps even deeply, but she couldn't love him.

Not superstitious enough to believe his dream meant anything more than his own subconscious tormenting him for his guilt and grief, he still couldn't help but think the blood-coated words spilling from Irikah's mouth held truth. Jasmine couldn't love him, because she didn't know the truth about him, what he had done and if she did, she would run from him and never look back.

"You still awake?" Jasmine's voice came from much closer than he expected.

Thane opened his eyes, smiling as he turned his head to look up at her standing in the doorway, holding a tray with plates and glasses of water. "I am."

"Want some company while you eat? Thought maybe we could find something to watch." Jasmine nodded her head at the vidscreen mounted on the wall of his bedroom.

"I'd like that." And he would, more than he could express to her.

Jasmine grinned, settling the tray down on his lap before walking around to the other side of the bed, stopping to remove the holster at the small of her back, settling her pistol on the nightstand and picking up the remote before very carefully crawling across the bed to sit next to him, folding her legs beneath her.

* * *

His eyelids felt heavy, but he couldn't close them yet. The vidscreen still played an old Earth vid she called _The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey_ , apparently it belonged to her favorite series; a prequel to _The Lord of the Rings_ movies. Jasmine spent five minutes trying to explain to him that even though the movie was technically one of three prequels to the others, they were filmed years after the release of _The Lord of the Rings_ movies, but they were also all books before they were movies. However, the books were written in the proper order, but even though there were three _The Hobbit_ movies, there'd been only one _The Hobbit_ book. She huffed, her hair fluttering around with her breath and declared him hopeless before starting the vid.

When they'd finished eating, she paused it long enough to go wash their dishes. Returning, she insisted she let him change his bandages, gently cleaning and applying Medi-gel to the area before covering his wounds once more and tugging his shirt back down. Her neck and face flushed while she tended to him, and when she finished she wouldn't meet his gaze. Instead, she put the supplies back in the bag and left the room to dispose of the used bandages. When she returned, she asked if he was sure he felt up to watching the rest. He assured her he felt fine, but apparently she needed rest more than she thought.

Jasmine slept, pillows stuffed under her head and back keeping her partially inclined. He'd watched her from the corner of his eye as the vid played, noting how the longer she stayed next to him, the more comfortable she seemed to be there, eventually stretching out on top of his blankets, adjusting pillows to suit her comfort. Thane tried not to let himself think too much of it, but then he realized she'd stopped responding to the vid, and her breathing evened out. Sleeping in a chair near his bed in the clinic seemed like a very different matter then falling asleep in his bed next to him.

His eyes dropped closed, and he pulled them open again. Picking up the remote, he slowly turned down the vid, watching to see if the environmental change would wake her. When she didn't stir, he surmised she must be too exhausted for it to matter. He turned off the vid, and used his omni-tool to dim the lights. He didn't want to risk alarming her if she woke up in the middle of the night in a strange room, in a strange bed, in complete darkness.

Just about to push the covers off of him, intent on making his way to the couch to sleep, Thane paused when Jasmine mumbled something. He glanced her way, hoping he hadn't woken her. She grumbled again, her eyes fluttering open and closed twice before staying closed. He waited a few seconds longer before peeling the covers back, moving as slowly as possible both for her sake and his own, his abdomen protesting the movement.

Jasmine whimpered, rolling over, and Thane froze. Her eyes were still closed, perhaps she always slept fitfully. He'd watched her sleep once before, and he knew she took sleeping pills at least on occasion. Just about to try again—he could always apologize for waking her and insist she go back to sleep—she caught him by complete surprise when she scooted closer to him, wriggling until her body pressed flush against his side, her arms tucked in against her chest.

His breath caught in his throat, chest tightening. He knew he should move, should get up and go to the living room … but the heat of her body seeped through the thin cloth of his shirt and he wanted nothing more than to soak in the feel of her for as long as possible. Jasmine sighed contentedly, and Thane couldn't bring himself to leave, quite sure he wouldn't sleep now even if he did. Easing back against the pillows, heart pounding in his chest, he prayed she wouldn't wake up and pull away from him.

Jasmine snuggled in even closer, throwing her arm across him, slapping her hand down right across his injured side. Thane hissed reflexively, clenching his jaw to cut it off. Cautiously, he slid his fingers under her hand, lifting it gently to move it away from his wounds—and Jasmine's body went rigid at his side, her breathing halting completely.

Time seemed to stand still, his hand holding hers suspended over his body, neither of them moving; neither breathing or speaking. He'd awoken her, he was certain of it. His mind raced, trying to figure out how to explain himself, to apologize, but she broke the silence before he found the words.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, "I didn't mean … did I hurt you?"

"No," Thane said, his voice hoarse. "I …." He let his fingers slip away from her hand.

Jasmine pulled her hand back, pressing it into the bed, using it to push herself up slowly. "Sorry. I knew I was too tired, I should've just gone to the couch." Her gaze flickered to his. "I'll uh, I'm …." She trailed off, rolling away from him.

"Don't leave." Thane snapped his mouth shut, appalled with himself, not knowing where the words even came from.

She hesitated, turning her head to glance at him over her shoulder. Her mouth opened as if to speak, but no words came out.

Thane cleared his throat. "You should stay in the bed, get some sleep. I'll go to the couch."

Jasmine snorted, moving to the other side of the bed and sitting up, hanging her legs over the edge. Turning at the waist, she shook her head. "I'm supposed to be here to help you, not kick you out of your bed. I'll be fine on the couch, trust me, I've slept in far worse places." She stood, stretching her arms over her head, her joints popping audibly. She picked up her holstered pistol, holding it against her stomach. "Do you need anything? How's your pain? I can bring you some water if you want to take your medication."

Thane looked away from her, afraid he wouldn't be able to hide his disappointment, his regret … his longing if he met her gaze. "Yes, please." Thane opened the drawer on his nightstand, picking up the bottle of pain pills, he focused on the task of opening it and fishing out the broken half.

"Sure, I'll be right back." Jasmine walked past him, out of the room.


	16. Acrafine Dhaspark

**Acrafine Dhaspark**

Jasmine woke up and glanced around the living room, listening for movement. Stretching out, she groaned softly and threw her arm over her eyes. Remembering waking up, snuggled next to Thane, she groaned again and scrubbed her hand over her face.

 _But God, why did it have to feel so good?_

She sat up and dropped her legs over the edge of the couch. Resting her elbows on her knees she cupped her face in her hands. This … thing, whatever it was she felt for him, went far beyond physical attraction, and it scared the shit out of her. Sex she could handle, relationships not so much. It nearly killed her, acknowledging she'd grown to trust him and considered him a friend. It made her vulnerable, and she didn't like being vulnerable. She coped with it, though, letting him coax out bits and pieces of information she'd normally carry so close to her heart, no one would even suspect they were there. They had a give and take, though. He gave back to her, let her pull those same little bits from him, even though it clearly wasn't any easier for him. This … achy longing, she didn't think she could cope with. So, she'd ignore it instead.

Jasmine stood up, crossing the living room to peek into Thane's bedroom. He lay on his back, his hands resting on his chest, eyes moving slowly behind closed lids. For one insane second, she considered climbing into the bed next to him, curling up against his side and going back to sleep. She watched the slow, steady rise and fall of his chest; he looked so peaceful, so she let him be.

* * *

He'd been awake for an hour, listening to her restless tossing and turning in the next room. He wasn't ready to look at her yet, afraid of what he might see in her eyes, so when he heard her leave the couch, he closed his and pretended to sleep. Listening to the soft shuffle of movements and her light sigh, he judged her position to be standing in the doorway to his bedroom. He waited, wondering if she'd speak, feeling the weight of her gaze on him. She said nothing, though, leaving him again. A moment later he heard the shower start.

Easing himself from the bed, pleased to find his pain significantly less severe than the night before, he lifted his shirt. He peeled back the bandages, finding light traces of blood; probably from Jasmine's hand dropping onto his wound the night before, he thought. Her voice floated to his ears, muffled by the walls and the sound of water falling, he couldn't make out the words, only the soft pleasant tones of singing. He smiled, imagining what it would be like to hear her sing every morning. Replacing the bandages, he pulled his shirt back down and shuffled his way into the kitchen to make _cinuela_ and prepare breakfast.

* * *

Jasmine left the bathroom, the sweet, spiced scent of _cinuela_ filling the air as she tucked her bag back in the hall closet. She made her way to the kitchen to find Thane standing at the counter slicing fruit.

He glanced over his shoulder at her and smiled. "Good morning."

"Morning." Jasmine leaned against the counter, stealing a piece of _mahata_ from the cutting board and popping it in her mouth. Already deciding she wouldn't bring up the awkward incident the night before if he didn't, she eyed him as she chewed. It should please her to see him stand a little straighter, supporting his weight better than the day before, but it didn't. "Looks like you're moving around easier. That's good. Feeling a little better?"

"I am, yes." Thane speared a chunk of _mahata_ with the tip of the knife, using his teeth to pull it off before setting the knife in the sink, smiling at her.

"Good, that's good." Jasmine forced a smile on her face, ignoring the heavy feeling in the pit of her stomach. Of course she wanted him better, but being better meant she didn't have a reason to stay. "At this rate, by tomorrow you won't need me at all."

His smile faltered for a fraction of a second before spreading wider. "Perhaps." He opened a cabinet, reaching up to pull down bowls, his lips pressing tight, jaw clenching with the movement.

Jasmine reached out, putting her hand on his arm to stop him. "Perhaps not. Let me get them." Some part of her wondered—hoped even—if maybe he put on a show for her; exaggerating his pain, or at least letting her see more than he'd normally allow, because he really wanted her to stay.

Thane dipped his head, letting his hand fall to the counter as he stepped aside. Jasmine pulled down two bowls and the tea set. He moved to the pot of tea on the stove, lifting the lid before turning off the burner.

* * *

Jasmine urged him to contact the drala'fa, reminding Thane the children nearly watched him die and were worried. He felt bad for not considering they might need his reassurance, even after Jasmine messaged Mouse to let him know Thane survived. So, Thane spent much of the morning calling each of the drala'fa that were present on the night he nearly went to the sea. He didn't speak with any of them for very long, but he realized Jasmine had been right, they seemed relieved to hear from him personally.

By chance, he'd called Mila last. The young asari's eyes began to fill with tears almost immediately, the sound of her sobbing brought Jasmine to Thane's side. She'd sat sideways next to him, her legs folded up onto the couch, holding his hand while Mila recounted the horrors of finding him that night. When Mila asked him why he kept calling Jasmine Irikah, Jasmine dropped her gaze, neither looking at the young asari or Thane.

He hesitated, his chest tightening at the sound of his wife's name spoken aloud by another. He cleared his throat and opened his mouth, the words caught in his throat, giving off a strangled croak. He didn't realize his grip on Jasmine's hand tightened until she rubbed her thumb over the back of his hand, her body shifting just a hair closer to him. He turned his gaze to her and she offered him a sad smile.

She turned her attention to the screen. "Mila … sometimes when people are hurt really bad … they get confused about what's going on around them, that's all." She smiled. "He remembers who I am now, it's alright." Jasmine glanced at Thane. "But, now I've got to convince him it's time to take his medication and get some rest. So we've got to go now, okay?"

Mila nodded, wiping the drying tears off of her cheeks. "Thank you for calling me. I'm really glad you're going to be okay. Bye." She waved at the screen before ending the call.

Jasmine squeezed his hand before letting go, tucking her hands between her thighs. Thane closed the omni-tool, and they sat there in silence for a moment.

She turned to look at him, her voice soft and filled with the same compassion he'd heard her use with the drala'fa. "Are you alright?"

He swallowed. "Irikah was my wife." Something in him shifted, a load he didn't quite realize he'd been carrying became a little lighter. He searched her face, praying to Arashu she wouldn't close herself off from him.

She nodded slowly, the corners of her mouth tugging down, her brows dipping together. "I figured as much." Jasmine cleared her throat. "You probably don't want to talk about it, but if you do …," she said, shrugging lightly, "you know, I'm here."

"Thank you, siha." Suddenly uneasy and needing to move, to find something to distract himself from the jittery feel of his pulse in his temple, Thane pushed himself to the edge of the couch, ignoring the shot of pain lancing through his abdomen. "I need …." He pulled himself up to his feet, his hand cradling his side as he turned toward the kitchen.

 _Is this … yes, it's time. She should know. I owe that much to her._

Jasmine stood, her hand bracing against the small of his back. "What do you need?"

"I need to tell you what happened." Thane stepped away from her, his heart pounding in his chest. Even with the decision made, the idea of baring his soul in such a way brought a level of nervousness to him he hadn't felt in many years. He made his way to the kitchen to put on a fresh pot of tea. "I should've told you long ago. I wanted you to understand what this profession can cost you," he said, feeling as if he were rambling but unable to stop, "but I couldn't bring myself to talk about it. At first because I didn't know you; didn't trust you … and then because I did."

Thane filled the pot with water, putting it on the stove to boil. Jasmine followed him into the kitchen, her arms wrapped around herself. She didn't speak, and he felt grateful for her silence. Telling her about Irikah, about what his mistakes cost him, would be hard enough without sparking her need to defend her choice of profession.

"I took a contract against the leaders of a batarian slaver ring." Thane gripped the edge of the counter, focusing on the pristine metal surface. "They had … a loyal group, Acrafine Dhaspark in particular, I later learned. One of those working for Dhaspark rallied the others, and together they paid the Shadow Broker to learn my name."

Thane pulled down the canister above the stove, opening and measuring out the contents with trembling fingers before adding the dried mixture to the boiling water. He glanced at Jasmine and closed the canister, putting it back where it belonged. She watched him in silence, rubbing her hands up and down along her arms twice before tucking them underneath. Turning his attention back to the _cinuela_ , he turned the burner down low.

"They were afraid to come for me themselves … and when they found no one else willing, they hired men to kill my family instead." Thane swallowed, his hands curling into fists, he pressed them into the countertop, pushing his weight forward onto his arms. The memories of the blood drenched apartment, of Irikah being slid into the sea, threatened to consume him but he choked them back. Tears welled up, hot and biting before spilling over his lids to drop on the counter. He didn't care; crying the least of his concerns at the moment, he let them fall.

"Family?" Jasmine whispered.

Thane jerked his head to look at her, his jaw slack as he blinked away the wetness in his eyes. He'd nearly forgotten he stood in her presence, she'd been so still as she listened to him rip open old wounds. "Irikah died protecting our son, she hid him away … spared by Arashu's grace and Kalahira's mercy."

Jasmine took a hesitant step toward him, her arms falling to her sides. "Jesus," she said, her voice cracking as her own tears formed in her eyes.

He turned to face her completely, prepared to see disgust or even anger in her eyes, he found himself overwhelmed to see she openly shared in his misery instead. She took two more steps, stopping in front of him, looking up into his eyes.

"I'm so sorry." She reached out for him, her movements slow, cautious even as she wrapped her arms around him.

He didn't hesitate, needing the contact she offered far more than he ever expected. Sliding his arms around her, he pulled her into the embrace, feeling his carefully constructed walls shatter as the very last vestiges of his battle sleep slipped away into nothingness. He hid his face in the curve of her neck, letting his tears flow freely. She turned her head, resting it on his shoulder, her hair brushing against his cheek. He breathed deeply, taking what comfort he could from her while still fighting back the nightmares of his past. Soon, the feel of her in his arms and the sweetness of her scent began to wash away the confusion and sorrow, slowing his tears and bringing a peaceful resolve to his mind.

* * *

Jasmine squeezed her eyes closed, tears sliding down her cheeks before soaking into Thane's shirt. He clung to her with a sort of desperation she never expected from him, and it took all she had to not squeeze so hard she'd steal the breath from him, so badly did she want to soothe his suffering. Palms splayed out over his back holding him to her, she sniffed, trying to stop her own crying and be supportive.

He'd hinted at losing people close to him before, implied it happened because of his work as an assassin—it wasn't that she didn't believe him, she lived in fear of someone learning about the Williams family—but hearing the pain in his voice, watching him struggle to put words to his living nightmare, and seeing the tears in his eyes put Jasmine's heart in a vice. Certain if he'd said he lost his son, too, that vice would've crushed her completely.

 _Jesus Christ, he has a son._

She pulled back, her eyes growing wide with alarm. "Where is your son?" Jasmine shook her head. "No, no. Nevermind. Don't answer that. I shouldn't know, but he's somewhere safe, right?"

Thane's gaze roamed over her face before holding steady on her eyes. He swallowed and nodded. "He's … as safe as he can be with me as his father."

Jasmine closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, her shoulders slumping in relief. Thane removed one of his hands from her shoulder, and she opened her eyes thinking he'd grown uncomfortable with the lengthy embrace. Just about to let him go and step back, she stopped when he brought the hand up, hesitating next to her face. His gaze flicked to hers briefly before he cupped her cheek, using the lightest of touch to brush away her tears. Jasmine swallowed, the heat of his fingers leaving a searing trail across her skin.

"Before I lose my nerve, there's something more I want to tell you." He quirked his lips in a mirthless half smile. "I'm afraid you won't like me much when you hear what I have to say, however." He let his hand drop from her face, the other sliding away from the small of her back.

Jasmine's brow furrowed, letting go of him she took a step back. "Okay?"

Thane looked away from her, turning off the burner under the _cinuela_. "Perhaps we can sit; have tea?" He brushed at his own tears still falling in lazy, fat drops down his face.

Jasmine narrowed her eyes, the muscles along her shoulder blades tensing, preparing herself for the worst. "Sure."

She watched as he poured the _cinuela_ into the teapot, wondering what he could possibly say to make her not like him. Nervousness settled in, making its home in the pit of her stomach. She picked up the tray, carrying it to the dining table with measured steps. Jasmine poured them both tea, focusing on keeping her body language as neutral as possible, and took a seat. Thane sat down across from her and propped his elbows on the table, clasping his hands together in front of his face. She picked up her teacup, blowing over the milky surface before taking a sip and setting it back on the saucer.

"I … haven't seen or spoken to Kolyat since his mother's funeral. I thought it'd be better for him if I distanced myself, removed myself completely from his life." Thane picked up his tea cup, but didn't raise it to his lips, instead, gazing at the murky liquid, he seemed to lose focus. He cleared his throat and sat it back down. "I left him in the care of his aunts and uncles on Kahje and haven't gone back. I tried sending money for his care, but Rone—Irikah's oldest brother—refuses to accept."

 _How could he?_

Jasmine sucked in a slow, deep breath, pursing her lips as she let it seep back out of her. The compassion she felt only moments ago began slipping away. She fought to school her expression, forcing her hands to stay still on the table's surface. "How," Jasmine said, rising anger closing a fist around her throat. She tilted her head to the side, looking down at the floor beside her. "How exactly is it _better_ for him?"

"I—he's safer, without me in his life." Thane separated his hands, turning his palms up.

Jasmine raised her eyebrows, crossing her arms over her chest. "How? How is he safer without you in his life, Thane?"

 _Is he serious right now? He tells me his wife was murdered, so he abandons his son?_

"They came to my home … they went after my family because of me. My wife is—his mother is dead because of me, because I couldn't give up this life." He frowned, pulling his hands under the table.

"Does this somehow miraculously make you no longer his father?" It became more difficult to keep her voice at an even tone. She dug her nails into her palms, focusing on the little crescents of pain as a distraction.

Thane shook his head. "Of course not, but if I'm not in his life—"

Jasmine slammed her hands down on the table, _cinuela_ sloshing over the sides of the teacups. "What the fuck is wrong with you? The Shadow Broker led your enemies right to your front door, you really think he can't lead them to your brother-in-law's house?"

Thane shut down, the only sign of emotion the flutter of muscle in his clenched jaw. Jasmine pushed her chair away from the table, standing to pace the floor, pinching the bridge of her nose. He said nothing, only watched her.

 _Calm down, Jasmine. Your crazy is showing. This isn't about you, don't make it about you._

Returning to the table, Jasmine leaned over the the surface toward Thane, supporting her weight on locked elbows and her palms. "I understand why you wouldn't want to raise him on your own. I don't like it, but I understand. What I can't understand is how you could just walk away completely, never see him, never visit, never call …," she said, her voice softer than before but laced with contempt she didn't bother to conceal, "and convince yourself that having his father disappear on him—right after his mother is brutally murdered—is what's best for him." She shook her head. "You're lying to yourself, Thane."

She held his gaze for a few moments; he didn't look away but neither did he acknowledge her words. She scoffed, pushing away from the table. Going to the closet, she grabbed her shoes and her jacket. She carried them to the couch, not bothering to look at him when she heard him push his chair away from the table. Hands trembling with rage, Jasmine sat to put on her socks and shoes.

"You're leaving?" He'd moved to the back of the couch, his voice thick with restrained emotion.

Jasmine glanced up at him as she stood, slipping on her jacket. "I need to take a walk."

"Siha … forgive me, I—" Thane reached out for her.

Jasmine jerked her arm away, not missing the wounded look flashing across his face. Holding her hand up to tell him to stop, she shook her head and backed away. "You almost died in that alley—you _wanted to die_ in that alley … and your son never would've known. It's not my forgiveness you need, Thane." She picked her holstered pistol up from the coffee table, securing it beneath her jacket and left without looking back.

* * *

Thane collapsed on the couch, not even trying to be careful of his injuries and pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes, trying to stop the hurricane of emotions ripping apart his insides. The righteous fury in her eyes, the bitterness of her voice cut through him worse than any blade, but her words … they rang with truth so loud it left him deafened, utterly stunned. Her anger had been just as he feared, but somehow so much worse.

His chest ached with the same deep throb of a pain that just a few months ago he accepted so blithely, thinking it might mean an end to his self-imposed suffering. Now, with Jasmine's vitriol still burning a hole through him, it only served to remind him he still had so much to lose. She was right, he'd been lying to himself, and for far too long. He must fix things—with Kolyat and Jasmine. If he wasn't too late.

Thane sat back, scrubbing his hands over his face, taking steadying breaths until he regained control of himself once more. Opening his omni-tool, he placed a call to Rone, praying he hadn't changed his contact information. The pattern of dots flashed across the screen, over and over again. Just about to give up and close the omni-tool, he froze when the call connected. Darkness filled the screen, the faint silhouette of his brother-in-law standing out in contrast.

"Rone?" Thane said, when no greeting came.

"Why have you called? It is the middle of the night." The voice colder, more detached than Thane remembered, but still unmistakably belonged to Rone.

"I—my apologies, I didn't mean to wake you. I didn't realize how late it'd be there." Thane paused, nervousness seeping into his veins, making his scales itch.

"What is it, Rone?" Kelena, Rone's wife, asked. Her voice, muffled and distorted with sleep.

"It is … nothing, dear. Go back to sleep," Rone said.

Thane heard movement, and then a moment later a light came on, filling his screen with Rone's face. Thane blinked once, then averted his gaze from the heavy weight of Rone's stare.

"What do you want, Thane?" Wariness wrote itself on Rone's face in tight lines and hard edges.

"I … wanted to talk to Kolyat. I should've checked the time first, my apologies." Thane dipped his head. "I'll call back tomorrow."

"It has been nearly four years, Thane, without a single word from you and now you call in the middle of the night suddenly wanting to talk to him?" Rone rubbed his eyelids with thumb and forefinger, a deflated sigh escaping his lips. "He is only just starting to adjust. The nightmares have finally stopped, he no longer cries himself to sleep. Why do this now?"

Thane cringed, old wounds left to fester ripping open further, leaving him breathless. "I thought it'd be best for him … I was wrong, I realize that now."

"So, what? You plan to come back to Kahje? Take him away from a stable home where he is cared for and loved?" The words were raw, honest questions filled with concern, lacking even a hint of malice.

Thane hung his head; anger he'd understand and brush aside, but this brought him nothing but further shame. "No. I can't give him the same stability he has with you. I can't … but I want him to know me, to know his father loves him … even if I can't be a good father."

Silenced stretched between them, and the tears began to form in Thane's eyes once more. He blinked his eyes furiously, not wanting Rone to see him such a vulnerable state; not when he still felt so raw from Jasmine's wrath.

Rone pulled in a deep breath, the sound breaking the silence. "Let me talk with Kelena in the morning. Let us … let us find a way to ease Kolyat into the idea, see if this is even something he wants. Please?" Rone never left Kahje, still clinging to the ideas of polite speech taught by the hanar. Rone asking so many direct questions, making overt requests spoke volumes about his determination to protect Kolyat.

Thane met his gaze and nodded, swallowing against the knot in his throat. "Of course. Whatever you think is best."

Rone nodded, relief easing the tight lines around his eyes. "Thank you."

"No, thank you. I'll leave you to your rest. Goodnight, Rone." Thane bowed his head in deference to the man raising his child.

Rone dipped his head in return. "Goodnight, Thane."

* * *

She'd left only to find herself at the Alliance training facility. Firing off round after round into nameless, faceless targets at the other end of the range did little to quell her anger or her disappointment. Moving on to the gym to beat the shit out of the bags didn't seem to help much either, but it did leave her hands sore and her knuckles raw.

Back at her own apartment, she showered and paced her floor for awhile before finally leaving again. She'd sat at _Le Bleu_ for a couple of hours picking at a plate of ravioli and sipping a glass of wine. She thought about going to Chora's Den, getting sloshed and taking Faline home but in the end, she'd gone back home, brushed her teeth, and went to bed.

That's when her remorse hit, writhing in the pit of her stomach, making her hate herself. Climbing out of bed, she stared at the bottle of rum in her refrigerator for a few minutes before groaning at the ceiling and swinging the door closed. Getting dressed again, she left her apartment and called a cab from the Citadel Rapid Transit stand next to her apartment, taking it back to Thane's apartment.

Jasmine leaned her forehead against the cool metal surface of his door and took a deep breath. It was late, she figured he'd already be asleep and she didn't want to knock, waking him up and forcing him to move around when he should be taking it easy. She'd already left him alone for hours, God only knew how far he'd pressed his limits in her absence. A part of her felt afraid to use the key he'd given her, though—not because of the inherent danger of walking into an assassin's apartment in the middle of the night—but because he might not want her there anymore. The key might not even work; he might have changed the access code after her tantrum.

Biting her lip, she opened her omni-tool and pulled up the code, hesitating before passing it over the lock. When the controls changed from red to green, Jasmine nearly cried out in relief. She opened the door, walking into a darkened hall, only the dim light of a lamp at the far end of the living room lit her way.

 _He left a light on for me. God, I'm such an ass._

She stopped just inside the door, giving the sensors room enough to register the door could be safely closed. Reactivating the lock, Jasmine listened for any sign he might still be awake, but she heard nothing. "Thane?" She kept her voice low, hoping not to disturb him if he'd already fallen asleep, but not wanting to startle him into action if he hadn't.

Taking a couple of steps down the hall, she paused when a light came on in his bedroom. She tapped her fingers against her thighs, steeling her nerves before making her way to his room. Jasmine crossed her arms and leaned against the doorframe, the tension in her muscles easing the moment her gaze found his.

He sat on the edge of his bed, his face turned up to her, the light cutting through the darkness of his eyes to reveal a mix of relief and hope so potent it took Jasmine's breath away. The covers were turned back, telling her he'd been laying down, but she saw no sign of sleep in his eyes.

"I didn't know if you'd return." Caution sounded in his voice, his words calculated.

"You uh, didn't throw my bag out in the hall or change the access code … so, I took it as a sign it was safe to come inside." Jasmine smiled wryly.

Thane pushed his hands into the bed, starting to pull himself to his feet. "Of course, I—"

"Hey, hey don't." Jasmine moved to him, putting her hands on his shoulders, urging him to stay sitting. "Take it easy."

Thane settled back into the bed, looking up at her. "I'm glad you came back, I want to apologize."

Jasmine scoffed, letting her hands fall away from him. She sat down on the bed next to him, dropping her hands in her lap, she focused on the wall across from her. "I'm the one that needs to apologize. I overreacted, I was already in an emotional state of mind …," she said, lifting her shoulders up and holding them there for a couple of seconds before letting them drop, "and what you said hit a little too close to home. But it wasn't fair of me to talk to you like that, especially when I just encouraged you to open up to me … and I'm supposed to be here for you, but instead I acted like an asshole and walked out. So, yeah … I'm sorry." She turned to look at him when he didn't say anything.

His inner lids blinked. "You weren't wrong, everything you said was true." He averted his gaze. "I just didn't want to see it."

Jasmine snorted. "Of course I'm right. Never said I was wrong … it just wasn't my place to say it, and I didn't need to be so harsh."

Thane smiled. "I might not have listened otherwise. I'm grateful to you, Jasmine."

Jasmine shifted, angling her body toward him, her eyebrow raising in question. "Does this mean ...?"

"Indeed. I tried calling after you left." Thane waved his hand. "I failed to consider the time difference, however, and only succeeded in waking Rone and his wife in the middle of the night."

"Well, what'd you say?" Jasmine threaded her fingers together, bringing her hands up to her mouth to still her excitement. "I mean, if you want to tell me. You don't have to, of course."

Thane rubbed his palms down his legs, his hands coming to rest on his knees. "I told him I want my son to know his father." He rubbed his hand over his knee, picking at nonexistent lint. "He's concerned I'll disrupt the progress Kolyat has made."

Jasmine reached over, putting her hand on his to stop his fidgeting. He turned his hand over, offering her his palm and she closed her fingers around his hand, squeezing gently. She watched him as he stared at their joined hands. There were a million things she wanted to say; to encourage him not to give up and to fight for his son, but she thought maybe she'd offered enough unsolicited advice—if she could even call it that—for one night.

"May I ask you something … about your father?" He spoke softly, not lifting his gaze from their hands.

"Sure." Jasmine let her gaze drift down to their hands. It amazed her how right his smooth scales felt against her skin, how easily she found it to slip her hand in his. Normally, she didn't like talking about her past, but she realized she didn't mind so much with Thane.

"Was he a good father to you before he left?"

"He … wasn't a _bad_ father. After his affair, things were tense between him and Mom, they fought a lot. I can't remember a time where he ever raised his voice at me, but when they fought he'd yell back at her. I'd wake up to find him sleeping on the couch some mornings." Jasmine fell silent, remembering the slamming doors and her mother sobbing, trying to piece together her next words. She licked her lips, trying to work up saliva to soothe her throat, so dry it nearly burned. "He worked long hours, so when he did come home he'd be tired and not want to be bothered, but he always asked me what I did that day or if I learned anything new in school." Jasmine licked her lips again and swallowed. "But he wasn't anything like Geoffrey."

"I don't think I was a very good husband or father. I wanted to be, but I didn't know how. Irikah … when we met … she challenged me to question my position in the Compact, pushed me to chose a life of my own making. I tried. I left the Compact, tried to learn to live a normal life doing menial jobs—I have no marketable skills other than those of an assassin."

He fell silent for a moment, his eyes flicking back and forth as if he were watching a scene unfold before him. Jasmine suspected that's exactly what was happening, though what he saw she could only guess at. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath, pulling his shoulders back and holding her hand a little tighter. The way his fingers clutched hers reminded Jasmine of how he'd clung to her earlier, making her feel as if he would fall apart if she walked away again. The thought of being wanted—maybe even needed—felt heady and terrifying all at once, leaving her a little breathless.

"We fell in love, married … and then Kolyat was born, but things became desperate over time. I felt lost in her world, I didn't belong there, not really, and she could only guide me so far. Teach me so much. I couldn't find and keep steady work, and Irikah left her career behind to be a mother to our son." He closed his eyes, his next words coming barely louder than a whisper, "I was a failure." Gently, he cleared his throat, opening his eyes again. "So, I did the only thing I could to provide for my family and returned to work as a freelancer. Irikah didn't like it, but she supported me in the decision." He paused, seeming to contemplate his next words.

"As the years passed, I spent less and less time at home, taking contracts further away than I intended when I started. I sent every spare credit I earned back to Irikah. The time I did spend at home …," he said, licking his lips, "we were strangers to one another. Strangers who loved one another, but strangers nonetheless." Thane looked up at Jasmine. "I'm afraid he'll hate me now, and won't want to speak to me."

Jasmine took a deep breath, pulling their hands over to her lap, holding his hand with both of hers. "There's a good chance he's going to be angry, hurt … confused. And he may not want to talk to you at first. But you're still his father, you've just got to be patient with him." Okay, so maybe she wasn't completely done with the advice for the night, but at least this time it felt a little more welcomed. "Let him know you're here when he's ready, and keep trying. I mean, don't push him, but don't give up, either. I would've given anything to at least been given the choice."

"He's barely still a child, I've lost so much time already." Thane's shoulders sagged. "I don't intend to give up, however. He may never forgive me, but as long as I draw breath, I will do all that I can to make it up to him."

She drew her eyebrows in, tilting her head to the side. "How old is he?"

"He's thirteen now; nine the last time I saw him." His brow ridges creased, consternation evident on his face. "I don't even know what he looks like now."

Jasmine's eyebrows shot up before she thought to school herself. "Thirteen, wow." She shook her head. "I guess it's easy to forget our age difference sometimes."

Thane chuckled, looking back at their hands. "Indeed. It makes me feel old to consider you were only thirteen yourself when Kolyat was born."

Jasmine laughed, she didn't have him pegged as the type to be bothered by evidence of his own mortality. "You're not old, just older than me."

"With a lifespan—under normal circumstances—just over half of your own." He smiled wistfully, the corners of his mouth barely pulling up before falling once more.

Jasmine's smile faltered. Knowing if they both managed to live full lives, he'd surely die long before her, was something she'd tried not to think about too closely. "Still not old, you're not even middle-aged yet, so don't go looking into retirement homes."

A soft, sad smile spread across his face. "If someone told me six months ago I'd be sitting here with you now, on my bed, holding your hand, and talking to you about my son … I would've thought they were truly deranged."

Jasmine tilted her head back with laughter. "Oh, you're telling me. I _hated_ you. Okay, well, hate is a strong word. Just really, really, really didn't like you. A lot."

"And now?" His gaze bore through her.

Jasmine blinked. Her breath caught in her throat and she licked her lips, finding her mouth gone dry under the intensity of his scrutiny. How did she feel now? Her pulse quickened, throbbing in her neck. Did he … was he asking her if she felt something more for him?

 _Oh God, what am I thinking? He said he didn't think I'd like him anymore. That's what he's asking. God, I'm so thick._

Feeling silly she'd let her mind wander so far away from what was in front of her, she gave herself a mental eyeroll. "Thane …," she said, choosing her words carefully, "I got angry, but I still care about you. Sorry, you're not getting me out of your life that easy, you should know by now." She shrugged her shoulders. "So unless you really don't want me here, I still plan to stay, at least for tonight." Pausing, she let a mischievous grin spread across her face. "Don't go thinking I'm not still going to kick your ass on principle one of these days—but that's a professional matter."

Thane chuckled, and Jasmine realized he didn't even wince with pain. She wondered if it meant he took a decent dose of his pain medication or if he really felt so much better already. Either way, it made her happy to know he wasn't hurting, and she couldn't help the fluttering in her chest when he turned his smile on her.

"And this," he said, lifting his hand into the air between them, dragging hers along with it, "is … personal?"

Heat spread over Jasmine's chest and neck, letting her gaze linger on their hands. "Yeah," she said, her voice cracking, "definitely personal."

 _Oh God, why did I say it like that?_

She swallowed and cleared her throat. "I should uh, let you get some sleep." She stood, pulling her hand from his, and swallowed again. "Do you need anything? Water, pills, clean bandages?"

Thane's gaze followed her, his lips parted … and damn it she really wanted to know what those lips would feel like against hers.

 _Jesus, Jasmine. The man just told you about his dead wife like two seconds ago, what the hell is wrong with you? Why … why is he looking at me like that? His pupils are dilated, why are his pupils dilated. Pain medication? His frills are redder, is that blushing? Shit, does he have a fever? Christ, does he have an infection? Say something, damn it!_

Rising to his feet, Thane took a step toward her, closing the little distance between them. Close enough she could easily reach out and wrap her arms around him, the thought made the fine hairs along her arms stand on end. He moved a little closer, his eyes cast in shadow once more, becoming nothing but black pools, the beautiful green of his irises vanishing from her sight. Still, she felt his gaze on her, and she couldn't look away from him even if she wanted to.

Lifting a hand to her face, he brushed the back of his fingers over her cheek. Electricity rolled through her spine, branching out through her body, setting every nerve on edge.

 _This … this is_ definitely _personal._

Her restraint cracked, her willpower shattering. Jasmine stepped into him, she slid her hands along the ridges of his frills, delighting in the soft gasp it elicited from him as she pulled him to her; he offered no resistance. Head already swimming, heart pounding in her chest with enough force she felt sure he'd hear it, she pressed her lips to his. His hand cradled the back of her head, pulling her closer still.

Thane's tongue ghosted over her lips, she opened her mouth to him eagerly, a hungry moan escaping her when his tongue delved into her mouth to entwine with her own. He wasn't close enough, oh God, why wasn't he closer? She needed to feel him pressed against her. Releasing his face, she extended her arms, wrapping them around his neck. Without her elbows lodged against his chest, Thane wrapped his hand around her waist, guiding her body to him.

Colorful lights danced on the backs of her closed eyelids. He tasted like Heaven and mint. He felt like … felt like love and shadows. It didn't make any sense, but she didn't care, because the taste of his moan rolled over her tongue in a dance of sweet blue and salty green ecstasy. Jasmine's eyes flew open, pulling back abruptly, she gasped.

"Oh no," she whispered, pushing against his chest.

"Jasmine?" His voice smelled like honey. He glowed like an angel, vibrant and green.

 _So green._

"Oh God." She sounded like smoke.

"I—my apologies, I thought …. I misread the situation." His hands dropped away from her. "Jasmine, I never would've—"

"No, no, no, no." Squeezing past him, she bolted for the hall closet, slapping the door's release over and over until the door slid open. "No, no, no, no." She dropped to her knees, grabbing for her bag but it moved, scuttling back out of her reach. Trying for it again, she gripped the black canvas in her fist and yanked the bag from the closet.

"Siha?" His voice burbled as if he were underwater.

Jasmine's head snapped up, turning back to him. He stood in the doorway watching her, his hand clutching at his stomach, crimson soaking through his shirt and slipping through his fingers. No. Oh God, no. Jasmine squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head. Opening them again she sobbed, relief flooding her to see the blood vanished. She looked back down at the bag in front of her, straining to focus on the zipper, she finally got her fingers wrapped around it and pulled it open. Digging inside the bag, she found the bottle of herbal supplements but the bottle was slippery, so slippery she couldn't hold it in her hands. Panic rising up through her smelled like copper in her mouth.

Thane appeared in her field of vision, but she didn't look at him, too afraid he might start bleeding again. She picked up the bottle, but dropped it again. A green hand wrapped around the bottle, lifting it into the air, Jasmine followed the bottle with her gaze, letting it lead her to Thane squatting next to her.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, reaching out to run her fingers over the bright, bright red frills at his throat.

He moaned softly, and it tickled her fingers, making her giggle. He smiled, and she wanted to kiss him again so badly she couldn't remember why she ever stopped. His mouth moved, he was saying something, but she didn't hear him. Raising up on her knees, she took his face in her hands, and licked her lips.

He took ahold of her wrist. "Jasmine, come to the kitchen with me. Let me get you some water."

"Kiss me," she said, the words scratching her throat.

He dropped his gaze. "Siha, you need to take these."

"I've wanted you for so long." She rubbed her thumbs over his face, moving from smooth green to ribbed red and back again. "Just kiss me." Her thumb trailed over his lower lip, tugging his lips apart. "Please?"

Letting one of his knees drop to the ground to brace himself, he took her face in his hands and kissed her, soft and slow. Breathless when he pulled away, Jasmine rested her forehead against his. Tears streaming down her face as the fresh dose of venom hit her system, lighting up the whole room.

"Come to the kitchen with me, please?" His words rolled across her skin, leaving trails of silver flames dancing on her face.

Jasmine closed her eyes and nodded, letting her arms drop to her sides when he pulled away. His pained groan barely cutting through the purple haze surrounding her brain as he pushed himself back to his feet. She shook her head when he offered her his hand, not remembering why, just knowing she didn't want him helping her up. Wrapping her hands around the closet's door frame, she scrambled to her feet, the room spinning around her, the walls swelling and contracting. She squeezed her eyes closed again and took a deep breath, letting Thane lead her away when she felt him take her hand.

* * *

He knew he should feel bad, and he supposed a part of him did, but a far larger part of him felt elated. Overjoyed, he wanted nothing more than to lift her into his arms and carry her to bed with him, just to fall asleep with her next to him. He wouldn't, of course, and with his injuries it'd be a terribly unwise idea to try. Even with the herbal supplements acting to counteract his venom in her system, she needed time to recover and think things through … they both did.

Thane hadn't intended to kiss her, he just wanted so desperately to feel her close again. After everything that passed between them the last few days; after how upset he'd made her. He selfishly wanted to feel her in his arms again, to truly know everything between them would be alright. But when she took hold of him, pulling him to her, all he wanted was to know the feel of her tongue on his. He had no words to describe the taste of her mouth, no words to describe the fire that roared to life inside of him when she moaned.

He sat on the couch, Jasmine resting on her side with her head in his lap, neither of them speaking as he stroked his hand over her hair. Before Jasmine came into his life, the only time he'd ever touched human hair had been in the fractions of a second before he snapped their necks. Her hair felt smooth like silk, individual strands moving fluidly together, shifting at the slightest touch.

Her eyes fluttered closed again, this time staying shut. Thane watched, continuing his gentle caresses until her breathing evened out and her eyes began to shift beneath her eyelids. He waited a while longer, ignoring the steadily growing throb in his abdomen until he was certain she slept soundly enough for him to move. Cradling her head in his palm, he pulled over one of the throw pillows, ready to slip it under her head as soon as he moved out of the way.

Thane got Jasmine settled without waking her, draping a blanket over her and turning the lights down low. In his own room, he opened the bottle of pain pills, swallowing another half with the glass of water on his nightstand before turning the light off and easing back into bed. He'd only been there maybe ten minutes when he heard movement in the next room. Listening intently, he tracked her movements throughout the apartment. She'd gone to the kitchen first, letting the water run a moment before making her way to the closet. He just barely made out the sound of the zipper on her duffle bag, and the muffled sound of her rifling through her bag before he saw the bathroom light come on. A few minutes later the shower started, and then, instead of her beautiful voice singing, he heard strangled sobs.

 _What have I done?_

He felt torn, wanting to go to her and knowing he shouldn't, especially since she went to such great lengths to try and hide her pain from him. If she were actually in the shower, it'd complicate things even further. Thane hid his face in his hands, trying to understand how they'd gotten to where they were, and how much damage he'd done to the woman he only hoped to help.

A few minutes later, the shower stopped, and Thane dropped his hands to better listen. When the bathroom door opened and the light extinguished, he expected to hear her move back to the couch. Instead, her silhouette appeared in his doorway, and he turned on the light.

Jasmine stood with her arms wrapped around herself, her still damp hair hanging loose around her bare shoulders, leaving darkened patches on the fabric of her black tank top. She chewed on her lip, watching him with wide eyes. Thane opened his mouth to speak, but he didn't know what to say to her. She saved him further shame by speaking first.

"I don't want to sleep on the couch." She pulled her lip back between her teeth, rubbing her hand up and down her arm.

"Ah." A stupid thing to say, but it's what came out of his mouth. He'd gladly surrender the bed to her, he'd tried to the night before but she wouldn't allow him. It felt wrong having her sleep on the couch to begin with, so if letting her have it now helped her in any way, he didn't think twice. Thane started to pull back the covers, moving his legs to sit up.

Jasmine shook her head. "No … I don't want to be alone." She pulled her thumb up to her mouth, abandoning her lip to chew on her nail instead. "Stay in here with me? Just to sleep, I mean."

"Yes, of course … if you're certain that's what you want?" He settled back in against the pillow.

Her only answer was to walk around to the other side of the bed. Thane followed her with his gaze, lifting back the covers on the other side, inviting her to join him. Jasmine dropped her hand from her mouth, and he saw her lip was red and swollen from her teeth. She crawled into the bed next to him, pulling the covers down around her.

Thane smiled, turning out the light once she settled into her pillow. A few seconds later, he felt the bed shift as Jasmine moved closer to him, and he lifted his arm out of her way, welcoming her to his side. She laid her head in the crook of his arm, resting a hand on his chest.

"Is this okay?" she asked, her voice soft and hopeful.

Thane brought his arm back down to wrap around her back, his hand resting on her shoulder. Covering her hand with his own, he slid it further up to rest over his heart. "This is perfect."


	17. Vhen Rolan

**Vhen Rolan**

Jasmine's eyes shot open, every muscle in her body tensing at once. Hard muscle and thin fabric shifted beneath her fingers, drawing her attention to her hand and the warm, green-scaled fingers resting atop hers. She glanced up, finding Thane's dark gaze on her.

 _Oh God._

Trapped between the two of them, her omni-tool vibrated against her wrist. Jasmine pulled away from Thane, sitting up to get a look at her omni-tool screen. The number was new, but she recognized the attached code easy enough: she was getting a work related call while laying in bed next to a freelancer. "Shit."

Jasmine threw the covers off of her, crawling to the edge of the bed, trying not to jostle Thane too much. As soon as her feet hit the floor, she bolted for the bathroom, locking herself inside. Taking a deep breath, she opened her omni-tool and accepted the call. Expecting to see the nameless face of a new liaison, Jasmine blinked three times when Leon's face filled the screen instead.

Leon grinned, lifting a mug to his mouth to take a sip, gaze never leaving Jasmine's. "You're supposed to be here training, not sleeping in, Jasmine."

"I had a late night." Jasmine let out a sigh, pushing hair out of her face.

Leon snickered, raising a golden eyebrow. "Asari? How do you keep landing them when you won't let them meld?"

Jasmine pinched the bridge of her nose, rubbing sleep from her eyes. "I make it worth their while. You're on the Citadel?"

"Mhmm. You've got an hour to get your cute ass to the training facility, or I'll have to come find you." Leon took another sip from his mug. "Might be more fun that way."

Jasmine snorted, rolling her eyes. "Not going to happen. I'll be there. Anything in particular you want me to bring?"

Leon sat back in his chair. "Whatever you need to show me what you've spent the last few months working on. You've used your credentials, so I assume you haven't just been hopping from one asari's bed to the next?"

 _Asshole._

She'd been letting herself grow lax, becoming more and more comfortable around Thane and Rift over the last few months, it took far more conscious effort to keep her features neutral than it ever should have. "No, I threw in a few turians, a human or two along the way, too. Now if you don't mind, my bladder feels like it's going to rupture. I'll see you in an hour."

Leon smirked, lifting his mug in salute and ended the call.

* * *

She found Thane waiting for her at the dining room table, a glass of juice sitting in front of him, and another positioned in front of the chair next to him. Jasmine swallowed, taking her time crossing the distance between them, unsure of where the events the night before left them. She couldn't even say she was sure where she wanted it to leave them. His gaze followed her movements, a soft smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. She stopped next to the chair but didn't sit down, offering him her hand when he turned to sit sideways and reached out to her.

Jasmine sighed, realizing she wanted nothing more than to tell Leon to fuck off so she could crawl back into bed next to Thane. The hopeful look in his eyes made her think he might like the same thing. Maybe last night was a good thing. It felt like a good thing, didn't it?

She pursed her lips and took a deep breath, letting her words come out in a rush on the exhale. "I have to go."

He dropped his gaze to their hands, running his thumb along the back of hers and nodded his head. "I thought you might." He swallowed. "I wasn't sure if you'd have time for breakfast," he said, gesturing at the glass next to her, "but I thought you might at least like a glass of juice."

Jasmine pulled out the chair and sat on the edge, facing him. "Leon's on the Citadel. I don't know how long he's going to be here, but it's better for both of us if I don't contact you while he's around." She chewed on her lower lip, not wanting to give voice to her suspicions that if Leon were here to check on her, she'd soon be leaving the Citadel herself. "I'm not even going to ask if you need to have someone else come stay with you, but promise me you'll take it easy." She forced a smile on her face, fighting back the urge to cry and throw herself in his arms.

Thane chuckled. "I'd refuse if I thought it meant you'd stay." He squeezed her hand. "Don't worry about me, siha. I'll be fine."

Jasmine smiled, returning the squeeze. "I've got to meet up with him in an a hour, but I need to swing by my place to pick stuff up …."

She stood up, and he followed her to his feet, still holding her hand, their bodies mere centimeters apart. Jasmine's heart thumped against her ribs and her breath caught in her throat. Feeling his warmth so close to her again—void of a sleep muddled mind—left her jittery and at a loss as to what to do with her hands.

 _Christ, what am I, twelve?_

He brushed his hand across her cheek, and she smiled. She leaned into the touch, her nervousness easing as his thumb traced the edge of her jaw. Edging a little closer, she rested her forehead against his sternum and sighed. He slipped his hand around to the back of her neck, pressing his lips to the top of her head.

She wanted to ask him what this was to him—what she was to him—but she couldn't bring herself to form the words. She wanted to tell him that she cared about him … as something more than just friends, but she didn't feel strong enough just then to handle it if he didn't feel the same. "I should go."

* * *

Jasmine stood across the ward from the Alliance training facility, lost in the shadows as she watched the burly blond man standing next to the news kiosk. It'd been awhile since she'd actually dealt with Leon face to face, and although she never could bring herself to hate the man, she definitely prefered keeping him at a distance.

 _Fuck his timing is terrible._

She could tell the moment he felt her gaze on him; the muscles of his broad back and shoulders rippling beneath his white t-shirt before relaxing once more. A moment later he shifted his position, standing to the side of the kiosk with his arm lifted, braced against the wall, affecting a casual stance. His gaze roamed the area, passing right over her twice without spotting her. Jasmine smirked, waiting for his gaze to sweep past her again before stepping out of the shadows.

Unlike Thane, Jasmine had been trained to disappear in a crowd, to blend in seamlessly where humans were found. Thane lived in the shadows, apart from the crowd, but always watching, always aware. Jasmine found she liked it in the shadows, too. It felt a little like straddling both sides of the same coin, letting her exist in two different worlds.

She walked along the outer edges of the ward, moving through the crowd to approach Leon from behind. Rarely ever able to get the upper hand on her handler, she couldn't pass up the opportunity when it presented itself. Nearing closer, she activated her tactical cloak, enjoying the irony that it was he who gave it to her. Less than a meter away, Jasmine was just about to reach her hand out to tap Leon on the shoulder when the man lifted his head, turning to face her.

"You're late." Leon smirked. "Glad to see you like your new toy."

 _Damn it!_

Jasmine fought back the urge to growl her frustration, schooling her features into a relaxed smile before letting the cloak drop. "I'm not late. I've been watching you for fifteen minutes, it took you twelve to catch on."

Leon let his gaze travel down Jasmine's body before dragging it back up to her face, his smile growing. "You look good, Jasmine."

"Of course I do." Jasmine cocked an eyebrow. "You don't look half bad yourself, but why the surprise visit?"

Leon slung his arm over Jasmine's shoulder, guiding her toward the training facility door. "We've got time for questions later."

Jasmine rolled her eyes, shrugging his arm off of her. "Really? You know I hate that." She stepped into the training facility, flashing a smile at Rawlins standing behind the desk.

"Why do you think I do it?" He winked at her.

Jasmine brought her elbow up, planting it in his side. Leon huffed and chuckled, throwing his arm back around her, steering her to the front desk. Rawlins' smile faltered, his gaze shifting back and forth between Jasmine and Leon.

"Good morning, Salazar. You're cleared to enter." He turned his attention to Leon. "I'll need your name and credentials, sir."

"Mr. Robert Salazar." Leon pulled Jasmine a little closer, smiling at her adoringly.

Jasmine scoffed, pushing his arm off of her again, glaring at him from beneath a furrowed brow. "No, don't … don't do that." She turned her attention back to Rawlins and shook her head. "His name _is not_ Salazar. We _are not_ together."

Leon laughed, opening his omni-tool, and sent his mock credentials to Rawlins. The attendant looked down at his console, his fingers running over the keys as he cast furtive glances at Jasmine. She smiled at him, feeling every bit the ass she thought Leon wanted her to feel.

Rawlins looked up, locking his gaze on Leon and saluted. "Welcome, Staff Lieutenant Crane. Would you like a tour of the facilities, sir?"

Leon nodded his head, acknowledging the salute as he threw his arm back over Jasmine's shoulder, pulling her to his side. "No, thank you. I'm sure Ms. Salazar won't mind the honor."

Jasmine clenched her jaw and smiled. "Of course, sir." She pulled away from Leon, making her way through the detectors. "Right this way." She ached to get him on the mats, even if he kicked her ass, she'd damn sure get a few good blows in.

* * *

Thane paced through his apartment, every sign that Jasmine spent any time there gone save for her lingering scent, a few stray hairs … and his memories. His heart ached, she left so abruptly they didn't have the opportunity to talk things through, and a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach told him he wouldn't be seeing her again any time soon. Stopping in his bedroom doorway, he took a deep breath and closed his eyes, letting the memories of the kisses they shared wash over him.

Opening his eyes again, he looked at the time and decided it would still be early enough on Kahje to call Rone. He went to the dining room, settling into a chair and placed the call. The call was refused from Rone's end, and Thane swallowed, trying not to take it as a sign of personal rejection. Resting his hands on the table, he glanced around the empty apartment finding himself at a loss as to how to occupy himself for the first time in years. Nothing seemed appealing, not reading, not meditation, and with his still healing injuries, his exercise routine would be unwise.

Thane pushed away from the table, making his way to bathroom. Turning on the shower, he adjusted the temperature before disrobing and stepping in under the hot spray. He closed his eyes, lifting his face to the water, ignoring the sting as the water sluiced over his wounds. His thoughts flowing from Jasmine to Kolyat and Irikah as the steam sunk into his lungs, tightening his chest.

* * *

Leon's fist connected with her ribs, and Jasmine hissed, doubling over. One hand pressed against her side, the other arm locking it down in place against her ribs. "Fuck."

"Jasmine?" Leon squatted down in front of her, eyes narrowed. "Show me."

"No, I'm fine. Just give me a second." She pulled away from him, forcing herself to straighten, shaking her hands at her sides.

Leon followed, resting a hand lightly on her shoulder. "Show me, Shepard."

Jasmine's gaze flicked to his, knowing he'd just shifted from old friend to handler with that one word. She clenched her jaw and looked away, lifting the edge of her shirt to show him the fading bruises. His fingers expertly prodded each of her ribs before touching her hand. She pulled her shirt back down as he left the mat, moving to lean against the wall with crossed arms.

Jasmine sighed and followed him, crossing her own arms and rolling her head around on her shoulders. "Come on, I'm good. Let's finish."

"What happened?" Leon raised his eyebrow. "You didn't report any injuries, I would've been notified."

Jasmine lifted a shoulder. "Wasn't work related."

His expression softened. "So what happened?"

 _I had my ass handed to me by a pissed off elcor._

Jasmine kept her expression neutral. "I got caught in the middle of a bar fight."

"Bar fight?" His eyebrows twitched, eyes narrowing.

Jasmine shrugged again. "Yeah. Don't look at me like that, I didn't start it, wasn't even a part of it."

"Jasmine."

She threw her hands up, letting them fall back down to slap against her thighs. "Okay, maybe I was a part of it, but I didn't start it."

"Jasmine."

"What do you want me to say, Leon? Some dick thought he could put his hands on me. I couldn't just shoot him. Shooting civilians is bad for business, right? And I couldn't take him down easy, that would've drawn more attention. So I put up a little fight until the bouncers got there." Jasmine shook her head. "It's not a big deal. He didn't even do this," she said, indicating her ribs, "I got shoved into the bar when the crowd tried to get out of the krogan's way."

"Jesus, Jasmine." Leon huffed, running a hand over the top of his head, pushing back his mop of hair. "You just attract trouble, don't you?"

Jasmine dropped her gaze to the floor, playing the part of shame. "There's nothing to worry about. They were happy I told them C-Sec didn't need to be called, I got my buy off drinks and left. The dickhead was banned from the bar. I haven't gone back."

"Go get changed." Leon sighed. "I trust you can handle your weapons?"

Jasmine fought back a smirk and lifted her head to meet his gaze. "Of course."

* * *

His omni-tool pinged, vibrating against his wrist. Thane set the knife he'd been using to chop vegetables down on the cutting board and opened his omni-tool. He breathed a heavy sigh relief sweeping over him when he saw Rone's number on the screen. Abandoning his lunch, he moved to the dining table and took a seat. He accepted the call, dipping his head when Rone's face appeared on the screen.

Rone dipped his head in return. "Brother, my apologies, I was not in a position to accept your call earlier."

 _Brother._

"You honor me," Thane said, bowing his head low, "thank you for taking the time to return my call."

"Irikah's death did not end our family ties, Thane." Rone glanced down. "She remained your wife and my sister in her final moments … Kolyat's mother."

Thane shifted in his chair, taking weight off of his left side. "Of course. How is Kolyat?"

"He is well. His teachers sent home word of praise today, he received top marks on a hanar history test." Rone's eyes lit up as he spoke.

Thane grinned, sitting up a little straighter. "That's fantastic. And his other subjects?"

Rone tilted his head to the side. "Nearly just as well. Truly, he's making wonderful progress." He cleared his throat. "I spoke with Kelena, as well as Aleha and Drali. I must tell you, Aleha is not fond of the idea of your speaking with Kolyat. She fears it will only confuse him further when you do not return to Kahje."

"I see," Thane said, dropping his gaze to study the table in front of him, "and the others?"

"Drali is in support of your reunion, no matter how limited, and Kelena has chosen to defer to my judgement." Rone hesitated. "I mentioned you at dinner tonight. Kolyat … Kolyat did not appear receptive to discussion."

It wasn't more than Thane expected, but still it stung. He licked his lips. "What did he say?"

Rone lowered his gaze. "He said nothing. Only fell silent and turned his attention to his plate."

Thane blinked several times. "I see."

Rone looked up again. "This will take some time, Thane. He is young, and things have not been easy for him."

* * *

Jasmine unlocked her door, stepping aside to wave Leon inside. "So, are you going to tell me what's up?"

"Patience, Jasmine." Leon strolled down her hall, pausing to take in the living room before heading to her kitchen. "I haven't seen you—what?—since that volus. What was his name?"

Jasmine followed him down the hall, leaning against the kitchen doorframe. "Vhen Rolan."

"Right," Leon said, opening her refrigerator and pursing his lips, "Vhen Rolan, the embezzler." Leon pulled out her bottle of rum, unscrewing the cap and taking a swig. Chuckling at Jasmine's frown, he held the bottle out to her. "I missed you. What's wrong with taking a minute to catch up?"

Jasmine sighed and took the bottle, bringing it to her lips. "Okay … let's catch up." She turned, making her way to the couch to plop down and prop her feet up on the table. "So let's see. I've shot people. I've stabbed people." She tilted her head from side to side as she made her list. "Blew one person up. Shot some more people. I spent a lot of time in the training facility, rubbed shoulders with the locals, eaten out a lot, gone to a few bars, and fed a few street kids. How about you?"

Leon sat sideways on the other end of the sofa, pressing his back into the arm of the couch and draping his arm over the back. "You used to like it when I showed up," he said, his voice soft but wounded.

Jasmine dropped her head back to the cushion, not buying the hint of emotion he laced his words with. "Things change, Leon. We're not together anymore. It's not that I'm upset you're here, but no, I can't say I'm exactly thrilled about it either."

Leon grunted, turning in his seat to rest both feet on the floor, propping his elbows on his knees. "Yeah." Leon rubbed his brow, turning his head to look at her. "Jasmine … you know, the way things went with us … I didn't want things to end like that."

Jasmine scoffed. "Come on, Leon. Someone a little prettier, showing a little more potential came along and you couldn't keep your hands to yourself. You traded me in. Upgraded. I get it. How's it working out with Laura, anyway?"

"It wasn't like that, Jasmine. I didn't stay with _Lana_ , you know that. I made a mistake, and I'm sorry. If I could change it, I would." Leon twisted at the waist, his blue eyes pleading with her. "I loved you, Jasmine. Still do."

Jasmine lifted the bottle, taking a heavy swallow. Dropping her feet from the coffee table, she leaned forward and sat the bottle down. "No, Leon," she said with a heavy sigh. "You love the idea of me." Jasmine rubbed her hands over her face. "You love the idea of being with someone who has to be submissive to you, and that's just not me. Not anymore. You blurred the boundaries between handler and lover, and I let it happen because I was eager to please you." She shook her head, turning her gaze back to him. "But it wasn't good for me, Leon. You weren't good for me."

Leon cleared his throat and pushed himself up from the couch, turning his back to her. "Well, I'm starving and you don't have anything to eat in this place."

Jasmine smiled. It was just like Leon to start a conversation, and then flee from it when it got too serious. Swiping the bottle from the table, she stood and made her way to the kitchen, putting the lid back on and sticking it back in the refrigerator. "Then let's go get some lunch."

* * *

Jasmine handed the menu back to the waitress and smiled. She kept her gaze on Leon while he placed his order and handed over his menu as well. It occurred to her that if he showed up just a few month earlier, telling her that he loved her … she might well have fallen into bed with him. Now, all she could think was how much she wish he'd go away so she could check on Thane.

Leon looked back at her and flashed her a smile. "You're staring, Jasmine."

"I'm trying to will you to spill already." She folded her arms on the table and leaned forward. "I know you didn't come all this way to just to evaluate my performance and 'catch up.'" She made air quotes.

"Alright, alright. I've got us booked on a ship out of here in ..." Leon looked at his omni-tool. "... fifteen hours. You'll be joining me on a job."

Jasmine's heart dropped. She couldn't say she was surprised, but she hoped she had more time. She needed a few more days—without Leon hovering over her shoulder—to see Thane; to say goodbye the right way. She eased back in her seat, lifting her eyebrows. "Together? Fifteen hours?"

Leon lifted his shoulders. "That a problem?"

"No." Jasmine shook her head. "So, are we burning Ramona Salazar? People have come to associate my face with the name here. If I disappear, it's going to raise eyebrows. If I come back, they'll expect me to call myself Ramona."

Leon smirked. "Come on, Jasmine. Who do you think you're talking to here? It's already been handled." He winked at her. "All of your accounts will be settled, your rent and bills paid, and a transfer will be entered into the Alliance's systems for Salazar. You won't need to come back to the Citadel for awhile. All you need to do is pack your bags. Unless … there's someone here you want to say goodbye to?" Leon raised an eyebrow.

Jasmine's pulse spiked. Not only was he taking her away from the Citadel, but he planned on her not coming back anytime soon. She forced herself to shrug, keeping her tone neutral. "I can send a message to Denver, but I wouldn't mind seeing a few of the duct rats before I go." She leaned forward again, resting her forearms on the table. "Where are we going?"

"Illium." Leon tilted his head. "Who's Denver?"

"Marine I see at the training facility sometimes. He's fond of Ramona. He'd be hurt if I left without saying anything." She smiled. "And before you ask, we're not dating, he's just an acquaintance."

Leon chuckled, leaning back in his chair, holding up his hands. "I wasn't going to ask."

"Liar." Jasmine snorted.

* * *

Jasmine put her hand on Leon's arm, bringing him to a halt. "Just … give me a minute alone with them. They don't know you, and they take awhile to warm up to strangers."

"Sure." Leon leaned against the shop wall. "I'll wait here."

"Thanks." Jasmine patted his arm as she turned, making her way down the alley where she saw a group of kids loitering around one of the main ducts. She'd sent Mouse a message, asking him to gather some of the others and meet her somewhere. He'd sent her back a location and she agreed. Leon invited himself to come along, and Jasmine really couldn't tell him no. Which meant she couldn't slip away to see Thane.

"Hey." Jasmine shoved her hands in her back pockets.

"Hey, Jasmine." Mouse moved a little closer to her, his gaze darting past her toward Leon. "What's up?"

Mila, Talak, Sarah, and Connor watched her with big, hopeful eyes. Jasmine knew that by calling them all here, it made them think she needed something from them. Something that she'd be willing to pay for.

"He can read lips," she said, nodding her head back toward Leon. "No one say Sere Krios' name, okay?" Jasmine kept her voice low, even though she knew it wouldn't carry to Leon. She hoped it might help impart her need for secrecy to the children.

Sarah and Connor, the youngest of the group by far, looked at one another confused. Jasmine shifted, using her body to block them from Leon's sight before they could ask her why or slip up. The others bobbed their heads in agreement. Sarah and Connor did the same, following their lead, and Jasmine smiled.

"I came to tell you guys that I have to leave the Citadel; my work is reassigning me." Jasmine pulled her hands from her pockets and crossed her arms, needing the little bit of comfort she could bring herself. "I didn't want to just disappear on you guys."

Mila took a step closer, turning doey eyes on Jasmine. "Will you be coming back?"

Jasmin shook her head. "I don't know. I'm sure I will eventually, but I don't know when or how long I'll be able to stay."

"Well, where are you going?" Mila wrapped her arms around herself, rubbing her hands over her arms.

"I'm sorry, Mila, I can't tell you that. I'm not allowed to discuss those things." Jasmine reached out, waving the girl to her, pulling her into an embrace when she stepped forward. "But if you want to give me your contact information, I can keep in touch with you."

Mila nodded her head, squeezing Jasmine painfully tight, clearly starved for affection. Jasmine bit back a hiss as her ribs started aching again, and pulled the girl in closer. "I'm going to leave you guys some credits. Make sure you make it last, keep yourselves fed, alright? I don't want to hear that you blew them at the arcade or anything like that. Got it?"

Sarah and Connor kept their distance, which didn't surprise Jasmine. She didn't see them as much as the others, and they seemed more withdrawn, clinging to one another more than anyone else. Mouse told her once that they were siblings whose family died in a skycar crash after the computer systems malfunctioned. Their aunt was supposed to come pick them up from the Citadel, but never showed up. C-Sec tried to get them placed in the foster system, but they ran. Jasmine struggled with the idea of alerting C-Sec to their whereabouts a few times, they didn't seem to be adjusting to life on the streets the way the others were, but in the end, she couldn't shake the feeling that it would be a betrayal.

After another round of nodding from the kids, Jasmine disentangled herself from Mila and opened her omni-tool, transferring a couple hundred credits to each of them. Mila hugged Jasmine again, and sent her extranet address to Jasmine before backing away. Talak stepped forward, giving her a stiff, awkward, one-armed hug before and telling her thank you before disappearing into the duct. After a moment, Sarah waved at Jasmine and then let her brother lead her back to the ducts after Talak.

"Mouse I need a favor," Jasmine said softly, stopping him before he could leave with the others.

Mila made her way to the duct opening, but lingered, her gaze never leaving Mouse. He looked up at Jasmine expectantly, waiting for her to tell him what she needed.

Jasmine raked her teeth across her lip. "I need you to tell Krios that I'm leaving first thing in the morning, and that my friend over there is traveling with me. Tell him … tell him I'll get in touch with him as soon as I can, but it might be awhile."

Mouse nodded once before giving Jasmine a brief hug. "Thanks, Jasmine."

"Yeah." She ran her hand over his head, earning her an exaggerated look of ire. "Thank you."

Mouse huffed, using his fingers to push his hair back up into messy spikes and flashed her a lopsided smile. Jasmine grinned, watching as he ran down the alley to meet up with Mila, helping the young asari into the duct before climbing in behind her.

* * *

" _Jasmine wants me to tell you she's leaving the Citadel in the morning. And that guy she's with is going with her. She said she'll message you when she can, but doesn't know when it'll be."_

" _Did she say where she was going? Or if she'll be returning to the Citadel?"_

" _She told Mila she couldn't say where she's going. Doesn't know when she'll be back or for how long. I think she said it had something to do with work. I don't know, she was acting kind of weird. That guy stayed away from us, and she told us he could read lips so we couldn't say your name."_

" _I see. Thank you for letting me know."_

Thane closed his omni-tool and leaned back in his desk chair, staring absently at his laptop's screen. He'd been researching Kepral's Syndrome off and on for the last couple of days whenever Jasmine wasn't around or preoccupied. Comparing his symptoms to those listed on the various extranet sites did little to reassure him. Still, if the doctors were right, there were treatments he could undergo to stop the progression of the disease—it needn't ever get to the point where an actual diagnosis be made. He needn't let himself decay … but it meant returning to Kahje. He didn't know if he could bring himself to do that; it felt like endangering Kolyat, and at a time where he was only just reaching back out to his son.

He wished, not for the first time since she left that morning, Jasmine was there to talk to. The desire to share so much of himself with her still alarmed him, but it did nothing to stop him from craving her presence. And now he didn't know when he'd see her again—if he'd see her again. The ache in his chest flared to life, and he pressed his palm against it, rubbing absently.

 _I can't let that happen. She'll call. She will, and I'll see her again._


	18. Leena Denova

**Leena Denova**

Jasmine stopped just inside the small cabin's door. Of course Leon booked them to share a room. Of course. At least they didn't have to share a bed. "Top or bottom?"

Leon chuckled, his hand grazing Jasmine's lower back as he pushed past her. "I always did like it better with you on top." He plopped down on the bottom bunk, crossing his legs at the ankle, lacing his fingers behind his head while he grinned up at her.

Jasmine rolled her eyes and tossed her gear on the top bunk. "You know … not going to happen, Leon. I thought spending the night on the couch after you conveniently forgot to get yourself a room for the night would've made it clear."

He lifted his shoulders up to meet his ears. "Honest mistake."

"Mhmm. So, what's the plan?" Jasmine propped her elbow on the metal frame of the bunk bed, and made a fist to rest her head on.

Leon watched her, his gaze making her skin crawl. After long, quiet moments, Jasmine arched her eyebrows, jutting her chin forward.

"You tell me." Leon dropped his feet to the floor, sitting up and leaning forward. "I'll give you the dossiers," he said, opening his omni-tool, "and you tell me how you think we should proceed."

Jasmine blinked twice and sat down next to Leon. "Okay. Why? Isn't this more your thing?"

"Maybe I just value your opinion. Why's that a bad thing?" Leon shrugged, closing his omni-tool.

A moment later Jasmine's pinged, vibrating against her wrist. She watched Leon with narrowed eyes for a few seconds before opening her omni-tool and pulling up the dossiers.

* * *

He hadn't slept very well. The pain in his abdomen was near negligeable, but thoughts of Jasmine kept him awake late into the night. There remained so much left unsaid between them, so much he wanted to tell her, so much he needed to hear from her. She had kissed him; said she wanted him—asked him to kiss her again … but what did that mean, really? He chose to believe her confession wasn't as simple as merely expressing an attraction. He may not be the best when it came to matters of the heart, but he believed he saw something more in her eyes, felt something more when she curled in against his side, falling asleep with her hand on his chest.

Three times he nearly left, thinking how easily he could get into her apartment undetected; how easily he could slip into her room, her handler never suspecting she wasn't alone. But if he were wrong, if he were seen … well, he couldn't justify risking Jasmine's safety or her career. He had no way to know how her handler or the Alliance might respond to learning she'd been associating with a freelancer … especially when she went to lengths to keep him away from this Leon. It would be unwise for him to reveal himself so openly.

Perhaps she might not even want him there. Everything he thought she felt for him might be nothing more than his own wishful thinking. What if he never saw her again? Never got the chance to speak to her, so he could know with certainty. No, he wouldn't allow himself to doubt. She cared for him, she must; too much stood between them for it all to be nothing.

She'd reached out to him through Mouse, if she didn't intend to contact him, she needn't have bothered. He could be patient. He would wait. For her, he'd wait as long as it took.

* * *

"Six targets, spread out through Illium." Jasmine pursed her lips. "This isn't going to be a fast sweep. We'll need to pace them to not draw attention, but not so much the others have a chance to get spooked and run. There aren't a lot of humans on Illium, but enough we won't stand out by species alone." She glanced up at Leon. "We need more information on RetCorp. We need to know how far their reach is before we make our move."

"So? What do you suggest?" Leon smiled at her, pride dancing in his eyes.

"Do we have contacts on Illium? We need an in with RetCorp." Jasmine turned, pulling her knee up on the bed.

Leon shook his head, pushing himself further back on the bunk before turning to rest his back against the wall, stretching his legs out next to her. "No established contacts on Illium."

Jasmine looked back down at the dossiers, sucking her teeth. "Then we'll have to establish a contact on Illium, preferably someone in RetCorp." She scooted over, giving herself more space between Leon's leg and her own. "This might take some time." Her heart sank with the realization. She was going to be stuck on Illium, with Leon, indefinitely. "I need a list of all RetCorp employees, everything we can get on them. Names, where they live, what restaurants they frequent … everything. If we're lucky, we can find one who's had issues at work. Someone who, under the right circumstances, might be willing to betray the company."

Jasmine let her thoughts drift, turning her attention back to the dossiers. The Alliance wanted them to get rid of six asari, all linked to this RetCorp, and responsible for the deaths of over three thousand human colonists in the Terminus Systems. RetCorp knowingly and willingly sold medications that were still in the experimental phase—proven to have serious side effects in human patients—to the colonies; all at exorbitant rates. What's worse, because the colonies were cut off from Alliance space, RetCorp knew the colonies' options for seeking government assistance were limited.

When a human diplomat, Jasser Solomon, left the safety of Alliance space to visit relatives on New Canton, he learned of the contract giving RetCorp the sole rights to provide all medical supplies to the colonies. If the colonists sought out new suppliers before the contract ended, not only would it open them to a lawsuit, but the lawsuit automatically halted any further trade or purchase agreements with any other company on Illium until they settled the lawsuit.

The fine print included craftily worded clauses giving RetCorp the right to substitute any brand of medication for another in the same class of drugs. So long as the substituted drug proved to treat the same health concerns, regardless of what phase of research, or any known side effects it might carry. If the substituted drug was more cost efficient for RetCorp, it was more or less guaranteed the substitution would be made. In a word, Solomon learned the colonists were screwed.

Solomon returned to Alliance space and began pressing for legislation, allowing the Alliance to step in and aid the colonists, providing them legal and financial support through the duration of the lawsuit. A month later, he returned to New Canton to try to help push things through from that end, but suffered a bullet wound to the head—obviously a failed assassination attempt—leaving the man comatose and in such critical condition he couldn't be transported back to Alliance space. The reports indicated he wasn't expected to survive, and should he survive, he'd likely never fully regain consciousness.

Images of Thane, unconscious and lying in the hospital bed, flashed through Jasmine's mind, stealing her breath away. Something must have shown on her face, because a moment later, Leon's hands were on her shoulders, sliding up her neck to turn her face toward him. Jasmine blinked, cold flooding her system as she turned her gaze to his.

"Jasmine, what's wrong?" The concern in his eyes looked genuine enough, only making it harder for her to swallow.

She brushed his hands away and shook her head. "Nothing, I'm fine." She glanced back at her omni-tool and lifted a shoulder. "It's just hard, thinking about how many people died because of this shit."

"You've always had such a big heart. I used to think it'd stand in the way of you making it through your training, but if anything, I think it's made you more dedicated." Leon pushed himself off the bed, drawing Jasmine's attention back to him as he stretched. "So tell me … with all the kids without homes back on the Citadel … why step in for that one little boy?"

Jasmine raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?" She knew exactly what he meant, but she refused to take the bait.

Leon sat down in the one chair the cabin held, resting his elbows on his knees. "What's his name? Rift? You set him up with Geoffrey." Leon smirked. "Come on, Jasmine. You had to know word would get back to me. It's why you stayed on the Citadel so long." He shrugged both shoulders, tilting his head to the side. "Not that you didn't take advantage of the training facility, too, but it was about the kid, wasn't it?"

 _Not exactly …._

Jasmine kept her face neutral. "So what if it was? You going to report me over helping a kid?" She lifted her shoulder. "It's not like I couldn't use the time at the facility anyway."

Leon sat back, slapping his hand over his heart. "You wound me. God, when did you start thinking I'm such a terrible person?" Scoffing, he shook his head. "No, I'm not going to report you, Jesus. But it _was_ time to bring you back into the game, Jasmine."

Jasmine relaxed, leaning against the metal frame of the bunk bed and offered him a one-sided smile. "I don't think you're a _terrible_ person. I'm just not as young and naive."

Leon smiled at her, his eyes full of warm humor. "Oh trust me, love, you were never naive. So, why this kid?"

Jasmine closed her omni-tool and took a deep breath, tilting her head back to study the metal slats beneath the top bunk. "It hadn't hit him yet, you know? Just how fucked up a place the galaxy really is. It hadn't crushed his spirit … being out there." She swallowed against the knot building in her throat. "I saw a chance to help, so I did." She snorted softly, turning to look at him again. "He's already got the whole William's family wrapped around his little finger. A bike _and_ a puppy."

Leon chuckled. "Sounds like a smart kid, maybe I'll get to meet him sometime."

Jasmine forced another smile, the idea of Leon anywhere near Rift creating waves of nausea deep in the pit of her stomach. "Yeah, maybe."

* * *

His omni-tool beeped, flashing once to catch his attention. Thane opened it, his brow ridges twitching when he saw a message awaited him from Rone. His breath caught in his throat when he opened it, finding a picture of Kolyat staring back at him. Once shades of tan, yellows, and light greens, Kolyat's scales had darkened with his growing maturity. Vibrant teals and blues now decorated his son's face, his jaw squarer than ever before … Thane realized Kolyat would grow to be taller and broader than him; his heart swelled with pride and a fierce longing to see his son in person.

The ache in his chest flared to life, but Thane ignored it, intent on committing every last detail of the picture to memory, knowing he couldn't keep the photo. Sadness washed over him when he realized he wouldn't be able to share it with Jasmine, amazed to know he'd do so without second thought were she there. He'd truly grown to trust her, and it filled him with both awe and terror. Lingering over the photo a few minutes more, Thane let out a heavy sigh and deleted the image before sending off a quick response, telling Rone how much the picture meant to him.

* * *

"Welcome to Athame Towers, Mrs. and Mr. Stone." The asari concierge beamed at Jasmine and Leon. "Your apartment is on the twelfth floor, I can have someone carry your luggage up for you if you would like?"

Jasmine smiled—ignoring the confirmation Leon set their aliases for them to be a married couple—and held a hand up, shaking her head. "That won't be necessary, thank you." She turned toward the elevator, waving her hand at her bags. "Get those for me, won't you sweetie?" Glancing over her shoulder, she cocked an eyebrow at Leon.

Leon grinned, scooping up her bags and tossing them over his shoulder. "Of course, dear."

Hitting the elevator call button, Jasmine dropped her weight to one hip and wrapped an arm around her waist. Resting her other elbow in her palm, she feigned boredom, examining her fingernails while she waited. If she had to pretend to be Leon's wife, an asari world was the best place to do it. Many asari saw males of other species as a novelty, and enjoyed their company, but when it came to business they tended to defer to the females of the species, and Jasmine would love it everytime. Leon stopped beside her and she flashed him a weighted glare. He grinned, showing her his perfect teeth. The elevator opened and they stepped inside. She wanted to tear into him, but waited, knowing security likely monitored the elevators.

They took the elevator up to the twelfth floor, making their way down the hall until they reached the apartment she'd be staying in—alone with Leon—for God only knew how long. Jasmine let out a sigh and unlocked the door, turning the lights on as she went. She opened her omni-tool, running a sweep of the apartment for bugs. On Illium, anyone was subject to being bugged, regardless of their profession. It became the expectation; a game the locals liked to play. They planted bugs, and anyone with common sense and the know how looked for them, if they were lucky they found them all before any scandalous information could be gathered.

Jasmine found one in each of the bedrooms—thank God he at least got them separate rooms—two in the living room, one in both bathrooms, the dining room, and the kitchen. The closets were clear. As soon as she'd gathered and deactivated the bugs, she turned her attention back to Leon. "Mr. and Mrs.? Really, Leon?" She crossed her arms. "You know this makes things more difficult. What if the way in is for one of us to get involved with someone?"

Leon sat down across from her at the dining table, and leaned back, lacing his fingers behind his head. She hated when he sat like that, she knew he only did it because it drew the eye to the deep lines of his chest and biceps, bulging against his too tight t-shirt. She snorted, rolling her eyes.

He smirked, leaning forward to rest his arms on the table. "Since when don't you like a little challenge?"

"Okay, what is this really?" Jasmine shook her head, dismay more than the motion leaving her head spinning. "We haven't been a thing for three years. And you've been fine with it. I've been fine with it. We had a comfortable rhythm built up." She waved her hand at him. "You, handler; me, Phantom. Why this? Why now?"

Leon picked up one of the bugs sitting in front of Jasmine, rolling it over in his fingers, keeping his gaze glued to the listening device. "I fucked up, Jasmine. I had a good thing with you, and I fucked it all up." He sat the bug back down, picking up another to examine. "And … I'm sorry. I've missed you."

Jasmine leaned back, crossing her arms over her chest. "I get you regret the way things happened … but, Leon, I'm happy with the way things are now. Let's just leave it at that."

Shrugging, Leon looked back up at her and smiled. "Can't blame a guy for trying."

Jasmine forced a smile and pushed away from the table. "I'm tired. Which bedroom am I in?"

"Take your pick." Leon's smile faltered, disappointment flashing in his eyes.

Jasmine grabbed her bags, taking the bedroom closest to the front door and dumped her bags on the bed. She opened the first bag, taking out her gun case and sliding it under the bed before digging around in the duffle, pulling out pajamas and her hygiene bag. She moved the bags to the floor, deciding she'd deal with unpacking in the morning.

Making her way to the bathroom, deliberately keeping her eyes away from Leon, Jasmine locked the door behind her and turned on the shower. She pulled out her ponytail holder and turned toward the sink, planting her fists on the counter while she stared at her reflection in the mirror. Sighing, she dropped her gaze and stripped off her clothes, letting them fall to a pile on the floor before stepping into the shower, the hot water stinging her skin. Lifting her arms, she braced them against the shower wall to bury her face, letting the water spray pelt her back. Jasmine closed her eyes, and took a shuddering breath.

 _What the hell is wrong with him? How can he possibly think I'd … because a few months ago … Jesus Christ. Before Thane … I would've._

Jasmine rubbed her face across her arms and groaned. Images of Thane danced on her closed eyelids. Her chest felt tight, a knot rising up in her throat, tears stinging her eyes.

* * *

He lay in bed, the lamp next to him casting dim light through the room. He could still just barely smell her on the sheets and pillow; her scent faint after three days. If he closed his eyes and breathed deep—his omni-tool vibrated against his wrist. Thane opened his eyes, pushing himself up to sitting and glanced at his omni-tool. Smiling, relief flooded him as he recognized Jasmine's contact information and accepted the call.

Jasmine smiled, bringing her finger to her lips. Talking in hushed tones she said, "I've only got a minute. How are you?"

Thane kept his voice low, his gaze sweeping over her face, soaking in the details as if they were the last drops of water on Rakhana. "I'm well, siha, and you?"

She made an odd face, the side of her mouth rising, lifting her cheek, forcing her eye to squint as she shrugged. "I'll live. Can't promise he will."

He suppressed his laughter, letting his shoulders shake gently. "It's bad form to kill your handler, siha."

Jasmine glanced over her shoulder. "Yeah … well, I don't think anyone would blame me." She turned back to him, her lips parting, she sighed before continuing, "I think I'm going to be stuck here for awhile. Weeks, at least. Maybe months."

"Are you—is everything alright?" Thane's brows dipped low.

She smiled reassuringly. "Yeah, it's just …" She jerked her head up, looking behind her again. "I have to go," she said, spinning around.

Images of the room she stood in whizzed past on his omni-tool's screen, halting on a window with skyscrapers towering in the distance before his screen went dark. Something about the angles of the building pulled at his memories, bringing one in particular to the forefront.

 _I stand on the balcony. Track the asari through my scope. The breeze shifts, coming from the south. Ruffling my jacket. I adjust my aim, accounting for the environmental change. It's too late, the target has moved on. I follow; leap to the next balcony. Large fronds of potted trees block my view. I keep moving, using the railing to launch myself into the air. Tuck in, land in a roll, rising to a crouch. Fingers press into damp soil. Floral scents permeate the air._

 _Staying low, I move through the rooftop garden. I kneel before the low wall, knees sinking into the moss. Glance at the skyline, lifting my rifle up to brace on the wall. Bring my eye to the scope, scan the street below. There._

"Leena Denova. Illium; Zetta region, Saefos Valley." Thane tossed the blanket aside, swinging his feet over the edge of the bed, easing himself up.

 _She's on Illium. She said weeks, maybe months … I have no reason to stay on the Citadel._

He pushed himself to his feet, the tender tug in his abdomen reminding him he still needed more time to heal. He chuckled, a thought occurring to him; his siha would be very upset with him if he didn't take care of himself. Seeing her … it'd be worth the risk of having her fury directed at him again. Would she be pleased to see him, though? She took her work very seriously, if he jeopardized her contract …. A few days; he could wait a few more days.

* * *

"I'm not wearing those." Jasmine stared at the trio of gold bands, the diamond in the center ring catching the light and throwing it back at her felt more threatening than if he'd pointed a gun at her head.

Leon sighed, pushing the little box housing the rings a little closer. "Jasmine, I know things have been uneasy the last few days. And I get it. But our aliases are set, and we're supposed to be married. Just wear the damn rings." Leon pulled out the larger ring, sliding it onto his finger and holding his hand up for her to see. "It's not a big deal."

Jasmine growled, snatching the box from the coffee table and yanking the rings out. She slipped them on her finger, feeling for all the world as if the thin bands just cut her lifespan in half. "This is so archaic. Who even actually wears these things anymore?"

"That wasn't so hard, was it?" Leon grinned, winking at her.

Jasmine folded her arms slowly over her chest. "I will shoot you."

"Jasmine." His shoulder's slumped, shaking his head.

She narrowed her eyes. "Leon."

"You're being petulant." He threw his arm over the back of the couch, bringing a foot up to rest on his knee.

"And you're being an ass," she said, lifting her chin in defiance.

They glared at one another in silence, his jaw clenching and unclenching, her brow furrowed and nostrils flaring. Leon folded first—much to Jasmine's shock and delight—dropping his gaze from hers. He turned back to the table, picking up a datapad, his finger tapping and gliding over the screen.

He risked a furtive glance in her direction before holding the datapad out to her. "Everything you asked for on RetCorp."

Jasmine took the datapad and sat down on the opposite end of the couch, as far away as she could get from Leon without storming off. The unfamiliar weight of the rings on her finger drawing her attention back to the ostentatious diamond set in her would-be engagement ring.

 _And of course he had to go gaudy. I can't even hide the damn thing, pretend it's not there._

She forced her attention back to the datapad.

* * *

Reaching behind her, she pushed at her pillows until she found a comfortable position again and turned her attention back to the datapad. "You look promising."

She skimmed back to the top of the profile, finding the asari's name, Nevas T'sera, and added it to her growing list of possibilities. Low enough on the corporate ladder to not draw attention, years since any type of promotion or raise … and two write-ups for insubordination … yes, T'sera would work well.

 _Hmm. Insubordination, huh? My kind of girl._

Jasmine pushed the asari's name to the top of her list before dropping the datapad on the mattress next to her. She yawned, stretching her arms out above her and then rubbed her tired eyes with thumb and forefinger. She glanced at the clock on her bedside table and groaned. She'd been at it for hours; pouring over employee profile after profile, staring at one datapad screen or another, no wonder her eyes hurt. She sat up and cocked her head to the side, straining her ears until she heard the muffled sounds of Leon snoring in the next room. Smiling, she opened her omni-tool to check the time on the Citadel.

 _Damn. It's way too late to call … he'd answer though … I could always apologize, say I didn't realize how late it was there._

Jasmine let out a heavy sigh and shook her head, closing her omni-tool.

* * *

Jasmine took a seat on the patio of the bustling café across from RetCorp's main offices.

"Your server will be with you shortly." The asari hostess touched the screen of the small console built into the side of the table and it lit up, displaying the café's name and logo. "You're welcome to either place your order through the kiosk, or deliver it directly to your server. If you have specific instructions on how you'd like your drinks prepared, I recommend discussing them with your server as some options may not be available on the kiosk."

Jasmine nodded. "Thank you." She turned her attention to the kiosk as the hostess walked away, glancing between the menu and RetCorp.

She couldn't help but grin when she saw _cinuela_ on the menu. Leon wasn't with her—not that he'd think anything of it if she chose the drell tea—and she didn't know enough about any other ways the drink might be served, so she went ahead and placed the order on the kiosk. Settling back in her chair, she prepared herself for another morning filled with surveillance.

A few minutes later, a salarian sat a steaming mug down in front of her. Jasmine thanked him and he left her alone again. She glanced down at the mug, her eyebrows crinkling as the smell hit her. It didn't smell like _cinuela_ , and it didn't look quite right, either. She picked up the mug, taking an experimental sip. Letting out a deflated sigh, she frowned and sat the cup back down. It didn't taste bad … it just wasn't what she wanted.

She turned her attention back to the front doors of RetCorp, watching as a flood of asari, salarians, and volus came and went—she even caught a glimpse of a drell, but of course not _her_ drell. Jasmine snorted, shaking her head.

 _My drell. Christ._

He was though, in a way. No, he didn't belong to her, but he'd been the first of his kind she'd ever met and they'd formed … something in the time she spent on the Citadel. Something strong enough that his absence left her malcontent, feeling as if she had a hole in her chest. It'd been years since she felt this strongly about someone else—and the last time things didn't go so well. She suppressed a groan, thinking about 'Mr. Adam Stone' and the predicament she'd found herself in with him.

Something was off with Leon. He'd been acting strange since he showed up on the Citadel, she just couldn't quite put her finger on it, something beyond whatever he had in his thick head about the two of them getting back together. He seemed … obsessive, always staying near her, looking over her shoulder. He'd barely let her have five minutes to herself since they arrived on Illium. She'd even heard him open her door to check on her in the middle of the night a few times. He didn't say anything, or even come into the room, just poked his head in and left again. It creeped her out, but more than anything, it made it infuriatingly impossible to talk to Thane.

There was something else, too, though. He seemed distracted, and almost agitated whenever they discussed the job. She'd tried talking to him about it a couple of times, but his demeanor instantly shifted. He'd plaster on one of his shit-eating grins and make a joke about it being sweet she was concerned for him. She'd been thrilled to find him still asleep when she woke up, giving her the chance to slip out of the apartment without him for once.

"You don't care for your _cinuela_?"

Jasmine's heart jumped into her throat, her hand twitching toward her pistol before she caught herself. She glanced up at the salarian server and swallowed. "I'm sorry?"

He blinked at her, lifting a hand to scratch at his cheek. "Your _cinuela_. You're not drinking it. Is everything alright with your order?"

"Oh." She sat forward, wrapping her hand around the cooled ceramic. "Um, it just tastes a little different than I recalled. It's fine, though, I'll still drink it."

The salarian sniffed, shaking his head. "I keep telling them they need to make it more clear on the menu. You can't make every drink with asari ingredients and expect customers not to notice the difference. If I were you, I'd demand a refund. Serves them right." He shook his head again. "I hate this place. I don't know why I stay here."

 _Uhhhh, alrighty then, Mr. Too Much Information._

"It's fine, really." Jasmine forced a smile on her face. "Thank you."

The salarian jerked his shoulder up, letting it fall again just as quick. "Suit yourself. Let me know if you need anything else."

"I will, thanks." Jasmine watched with wide eyes as the salarian moved on to another table. She glanced around the café, discretely scanning the faces of the asari not wearing the café's uniform before glancing at her omni-tool. T'sera should be coming in for her morning kaffe run any minute.

Jasmine sipped at the now cold, faux- _cinuela_ while she waited. A few minutes later, an asari broke away from the herd, veering towards the café. Jasmine opened her omni-tool, glancing between the photo of T'sera and the woman making her way to the café door. Feeling fairly certain it was the same asari in the picture, Jasmine closed her omni-tool and brought her mug to her lips, watching T'sera over the rim.

The asari entered and stopped at the counter. Jasmine watched as she spoke with the hostess and then stood by the door to wait while they prepared her order. She glanced at her omni-tool and then said something to the hostess. The other asari nodded her head and pointed toward the back of the café.

Jasmine perked up, when T'sera made her way toward the restrooms. It was too good of an opportunity to pass up. She sat her poor excuse for _cinuela_ down and pushed away from the table, making a beeline for the glowing neon sign over the door her mark just entered.


	19. Kesyr Atela

**Kesyr Atela**

Jasmine tugged at the hem of her dress, making sure it covered the knife strapped to her thigh. She hated dresses, and she hated Leon even more for making her wear the damn thing—maybe even more than she despised him for the stupid rings.

"What do we know about this contact?" Leon pulled out the chair for her, sliding it back in as she bent her knees to sit down. He took a seat next to her, giving him full view down one side of the intersection and her the other.

"Her name is Nevas T'Sera. She's an administrative assistant at RetCorp. Low on the corporate ladder, but might still prove to be valuable." She activated the datapad built into the center of the table, pulling up the café's menu. "Her files have her as being two hundred and seventy-three; so still in her maiden years but not so young she won't be leary. We've got to play our cards right or we'll spook her."

"And what are we expecting from T'Sera?" Leon asked, eyeing her speculatively.

Jasmine selected a kaffe from the menu and sat back, letting Leon look over the menu. "We're expecting for her to make an introduction."

"An introduction?" Leon's eyebrows quirked.

"Yes. Mr. and Mrs. Stone are now highly motivated to move their investments outside of Council space. RetCorp offers any employee who brings them new business or investors a considerable commission." Jasmine crossed her legs, suppressing a growl of frustration as she tugged at her dress when it rode up on her thigh.

"Right. And where did you meet her again?" Leon made his selections and placed the order, leaning back in his chair and glancing down the street.

 _Jesus fucking Christ, Leon. Why the twenty questions? Do you trust me to do my damn job or not?_

Jasmine adjusted the rings on her finger, pushing them further up, trying to find some way to make them actually comfortable. They weighed down her hand, the proverbial ball and chain, shackling her to a man she no longer loved and despised more with each passing day. "Restroom." She pointed toward the back of the café. "I asked her about her outfit. Made small talk, exchanged contact info, and spent a few days chatting with her before I asked her if she'd like to have lunch with us."

"Really? That's it?" Leon raised his eyebrows.

 _Idiot._

"Does it need to be more complicated?" Jasmine snorted. "I know the concept of friends is an odd one for us in our line of work, but really for most people, it's not difficult to grasp." Jasmine let her gaze roam the streets, spotting T'Sera, she waved. "Here she comes."

* * *

Thane kept his distance, forcing himself to not watch Jasmine too closely. She'd shown an unnerving ability to tell when he watched her in the past, but oh, he found it difficult not to look at her when thoughts of seeing her again consumed him for days. He didn't want to set her on edge, or draw her attention just yet. Not while her handler sat with her; at least he assumed the tall, broad-shouldered, human male sitting beside Jasmine to be Leon. He tried not to notice how the man kept finding ways to touch Jasmine: run his fingers along her arm, pat her hand, pick at her clothing. Too far back to see her reactions to these gestures, he tried not to imagine the worst, but it left him with a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.

She had a history with Leon, and really all things considered, she barely knew Thane. What they shared before she left the Citadel …. No. He knew something more existed between them, and he felt too strongly about her to ignore. If she chose Leon, it wouldn't be because Thane stepped willingly aside before he even made his intentions clear to her. If after he told her how he felt, if after he laid his heart bare for her, if she then chose Leon … then Thane would concede, step aside and pray she kept him in her life as her friend.

She'd contacted him twice more since the first, all to brief, call when he realized she'd gone to Illium. Each time, they'd barely had the chance to say hello to one another before something drew her away. He'd learned, though, she sought several targets at a company called RetCorp, and from there it was a simple task to have Theodus provide him with information on the company. The precise identities of the Alliance's targets at RetCorp left him guessing: nearly everyone on the employee list involved themselves in dubious dealings of one sort or another. For that matter, the same could be said for the general population of Illium.

The sheer frustration in her tone—echoing what he felt himself—the last time she called and Leon knocked on her door, finally made up Thane's mind for him. He'd go to Illium, and find her. He just needed an in; a justifiable excuse to approach her. Illium housed a handful of other drell, which helped, making it less unusual for him to be there. However, he couldn't simply walk up to her on the streets or ask her to risk meeting him away from Leon … at least not until she had a reason to give her handler. As an asari approached Jasmine's table, leaning over to hug Jasmine before shaking Leon's hand and taking a seat with them, Thane thought he found his solution.

* * *

"Oh! My apologies." Thane squatted, helping to gather the bags he'd knocked out of the asari's grasp when he bumped into her. "Please, allow me …."

"Oh, it's alright." She knelt beside him, collecting loose pieces of fruit and shoving them back inside one of the bags. "I can get them."

 _Ingratiate yourself. Touch her and smile, establish the link of friendliness in her mind._

"I insist, it was my mistake." Thane reached for one of the pieces of fruit, letting his hand brush across hers in the process. He gave her his best shy smile when she glanced up before turning his attention back to her belongings. Once they had everything gathered, Thane stood, still holding on to two of her bags and pointed at the skycar waiting at the taxi stand next to them. "Is this your cab?"

She glanced over her shoulder at the cab before meeting Thane's gaze with a cautious regard. "Yes."

"Allow me to help you load your things, it's the least I can do." Thane angled his body toward the skycar, waiting for her to give her assent. "I feel terrible … and terribly embarrassed."

Something softened in her eyes, a slow smile spreading across her face. "There's no need to be embarrassed, no harm done, and we all make mistakes." She nodded her head at the cab, leading the way over.

He put the bags in the trunk before taking the ones she held, settling them inside with the rest and closed the hatch. Thane turned back to her, rubbing the back of his thumbnail over his brow. "I don't suppose you can tell me where I might find Vella street? I'm afraid I might've gotten turned around." Thane looked around him, scratching his brow again.

"New to Illium?" She grinned.

"Ah. That obvious?" Thane smiled dipping his head and tucking his hands behind his back. He let himself relax knowing her willingness to extend the conversation, seeking out personal information about him, gave him all the opening he needed.

She chuckled lightly. "Don't worry, it gets easier to make sense of this place the longer you're here. You haven't signed anything yet, have you?"

Thane raised his brow ridge and shook his head. "No. Why, is this something I should be concerned with?"

She laughed, her entire frame shaking with her amusement as she wrapped an arm around her waist and wiped at her eyes. "Oh, you're sweet. I tell you what, I'll be passing by Vella street on my way home. Let me drop you off, and maybe I can give you a few pointers on how to survive here."

 _Perfect._

Thane smirked. "I don't even know your name."

"Nevas T'Sera," she said, holding her hand out to him, "and yours?"

He took her hand, lifting it to bow his head over. "Saman Naol."

* * *

Jasmine leaned against the closed bathroom door, yelling to be heard over the shower. "T'Sera just invited us to attend a gala sponsored by RetCorp. We're in." Jasmine sent back an enthusiastic message of acceptance and closed her omni-tool. "We'll need formal wear."

She pushed away from the door when she heard the shower turn off. Making her way back to the living room, she plopped down on the couch and started looking up local stores on her omni-tool. A few minutes later, Leon left the bathroom wearing nothing but a towel.

Jasmine rolled her eyes. "For fuck's sake, Leon. Put some damn clothes on."

 _Jackass._

"Why? Afraid you'll be tempted?" He waggled his eyebrows at her.

"More like afraid I'll barf." She smirked, turning a little to block him from her line of sight—because really, she couldn't deny how easy on the eyes he was—as she continued to scroll through the list of stores.

"Were we given a budget for this job?" She called after him as he made his way to his room.

"Planning a shopping spree on the Alliance's tab, love?"

 _God, how did I not see how much of a sexist dick you are?_

"Right. Because obviously shopping is my top priority in all things." She rolled her eyes again. "We need formal wear. I'd rather not pay for it out of pocket if I don't have to."

* * *

He couldn't take his eyes off of her, she looked absolutely stunning. The black and gold sequined dress hugged her every curve, the patterns arching over her, creating trails he longed to trace with his fingers. Her hair, left loose, framed her face before falling over her shoulders and cascading down her back in soft waves. Taking a deep breath, his heart fluttered against his ribs as he remembered the silken feel of her hair beneath his palm, her head resting in his lap. He thought he'd be perfectly content to do nothing but stand there and watch her for hours.

If learning Jasmine and Leon presented themselves as a married couple bothered him, the feeling vanished the moment she met his gaze from across the room. Her eyes widened, her lips parting before curving into a smile. She took a step in his direction, his breath catching in his throat before she caught herself and stopped. He allowed himself a satisfied smile, her reaction everything he'd hoped for. Just as quickly, her look of surprise shifted to one of unease as she glanced behind her at Leon. Thane followed her gaze to the other man, but his attention stayed on the two asari standing with them.

Nevas returned to Thane's side, handing him a glass of champagne before looping her arm through his. "Sorry, I didn't mean to abandon you. There was someone I needed to speak with."

"It's quite alright." Thane smiled at her, torn between wishing she'd go away, leaving him to watch Jasmine, and being grateful for her presence because it meant he'd soon be able to speak with his siha. "I managed to survive somehow." He glanced back at Jasmine to see Leon draped his arm around her shoulders, keeping her attention focused on him. Thane needed to look away again, the sight of them together closing a fist around his throat. Maintaining his cover might prove to be more difficult than he thought.

"It's a wonder, that." Nevas smirked, lifting her glass to her lips. "Oh, there's Sierra and her husband, Adam. Let's go say hello." She lifted a finger from her glass to point at Jasmine.

Thane dipped his head to hide the giddy smile tugging at his lips, allowing Nevas to lead him by his arm. Jasmine pushed her hair behind her ear, stealing a glance in his direction in the process. Thane caught sight of the rings nestled on her finger, and swallowed the sour taste pooling in his mouth. Fighting back the urge to rub at the ache flaring to life in his chest, he reminded himself it was only a part of her alias and didn't mean she and Leon were truly wed.

Nevas broke away from him when they got within speaking distance of Jasmine. She touched Jasmine's bare shoulder, and Jasmine looked up, a smile sweeping across her face. Like a cooling salve, her smile washed away the ache, calming his nerves, filling his lungs with sweet, fresh air. Thane waited a few steps behind Nevas, his hands tucked behind his back until the time for introductions.

"Thank you, Mr. Stone. We'll be in touch. Excuse us," one of the other asari said, nodding to Jasmine and then Nevas before walking away.

"I'm so glad you two came. Sierra, you look fantastic. I love this dress on you!" Nevas ran her fingers over the sequins of the low-cut collar of Jasmine's dress, the gesture intimate enough to make Thane's brow twitch.

It remained a mystery to him how easily Jasmine accepted the casual touch of others, and he found himself wishing for one bizarre moment he were Nevas. Of all the species he encountered, asari were by far the most inclined to make physical contact with others while speaking with them, though humans often indulged in the behavior as well. While not always appreciated in galactic society, it became common enough few would be shocked by the easy way Nevas trailed her fingers down Jasmine's arm; by the gods how he yearned to do the same.

Leon smirked, stepping forward to slip his arm around Jasmine's waist. "She's stunning, isn't she?" He leaned in, nuzzling against Jasmine's neck.

It knocked the air from Thane's lungs as efficiently as a blow to the abdomen, leaving his guts twisting. He forced himself to take shallow breaths, keeping his gaze locked on Jasmine. His fingers twitched behind his back. She smiled, but Thane focused on the gentle flexing of the muscle in her jaw and the slight narrowing of her eyes. Laughing, she swatted at Leon's chest, shirking him off of her.

Jasmine's gaze slid to Thane and then back to Nevas. "Thank you, Nevas. You look quite lovely yourself. Who's your friend?"

"Oh, of course. Sorry, you just look so amazing," Nevas said with a wink, "it distracted me." She laughed, turning to wave Thane forward.

Thane smiled, dipping his head as he moved to Nevas' side.

"Sierra, Adam, this is Saman." She gestured at each of them as she spoke.

Leon held his hand out to Thane, smiling. Thane accepted, dipping his head again as they shook hands. When Leon released him, he turned to Jasmine, holding his hand out to her, palm up, his fingers slightly curled. Her eyebrow twitched, the corners of her mouth turning up as she slid her hand into his. Thane bowed over her hand, her fingers warm and inviting in his, savoring the feel of her touch, if even for only a moment before lifting his head and letting her fingers slip away again.

"It's a pleasure to meet you both," he said, tucking his hands behind him, fingers still tingling with the ghost of her heat.

Jasmine turned back to Nevas, smiling as she touched the other woman's elbow. "Nevas, you didn't say you were seeing anyone! He's cute!" She winked at Nevas. "How did the two of you meet?"

He chuckled, coughing gently into his fist. He'd missed her wit and humor as much as anything. Though her words sounded simple enough—something a woman like Sierra Stone might say normally—he thought she'd chosen them to keep him on his toes.

Leon glanced his way, cold, blue eyes appraising Thane, before turning his attention back to Jasmine, smiling. "Trying to make me jealous, dear?"

"Oh no, we're not dating." Nevas laughed, threading her arm through Jasmine's even as she turned to take in Thane. "I'm afraid I'm not quite his type, in fact, neither of us are. Though Adam, you might be." Nevas grinned at Leon, before winking at Jasmine.

Leon laughed, his entire stance seeming to deflate. "Well, I'm afraid I'm taken."

 _Interesting._

Jasmine's face stilled, and he wondered what thoughts danced in her mind. He'd told Nevas he only found men attractive when the asari began to express an interest toward him. It made things less complicated, but with the way Leon relaxed with the suggestion, Thane couldn't help but wonder again if perhaps his 'marriage' to Jasmine felt less of a charade to Leon than it should be. With Jasmine's reactions, one thing became clear: regardless of what she might or might not feel for him, she certainly did not like the way Leon touched her. Finding it completely implausible Leon lacked an awareness of the discomfort his touch caused Jasmine—yet he persisted, and so overtly—made Thane want to break the man's fingers.

Nevas turned back, studying Thane with pursed lips. "No, Saman is … my current project."

"Project?" Jasmine raised her eyebrow. She glanced at Thane, and though her face remained passive, he saw the laughter in her eyes.

He lifted the corner of his mouth, pushing thoughts of Leon aside so as to not further taint the few precious moments spent in her presence. "Nevas was kind enough to take me under her wing, show me the city, and explain to me exactly why it is I should be cautious of friendly faces on Illium." He waved his hand. "I'm new here, and only know one other person: the hanar I came to work for."

"What business are you in, Saman?" Leon asked, forcing Thane's attention back to him. He moved his hand from Jasmine's waist to cup her shoulder, pulling her possessively into his side and away from Nevas, rubbing his fingers absently over her bare skin.

Thane forced himself to hold Leon's gaze, curling his fingers into a fist behind his back before letting go. "Importing and exporting from Kahje. I'm only here until the new contracts are in place." He refused to let his attention wander to Jasmine, not only so he didn't appear overly interested in her, but also because he didn't fully trust himself not to strike Leon if he saw the look of distaste on her face again. It was a rather strange impulse for him, a new one, he could only attribute to developing feelings for the woman.

"Saman travels a lot for the hanar." Nevas, moved back to Thane, reaching for him, and he lifted his arm, letting her rest her hand in the crook of his elbow. "I envy him. Though, I suppose the two of you do a lot of traveling as well. I'm not sure I'll ever get to leave Illium."

"Oh? Why's that?" Jasmine asked, giving Thane an excuse to look at her again.

Nevas gestured around her with her champagne glass. "It's home. I've been here my entire life, and RetCorp … well, RetCorp works hard to encourage its employees to stick around."

Thane turned his head to take in Nevas with new eyes. Something about her hesitation, her choice of words didn't sit right with him. He may have only engineered the meeting with Nevas as a means to see Jasmine, but the asari had been rather kind to him. He found he didn't much care for the idea of someone working to keep her where she didn't wish to be. Glancing at Jasmine and then at Leon, he thought they both caught the same hint of fear in Nevas' voice.

"You're still young, Nevas. Surely there are more lucrative business opportunities available for you? Something allowing for travel?" Jasmine licked her lips, and Thane swallowed.

Nevas grip tightened on his arm, not much, just enough for him to notice. She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Perhaps someday." She cleared her throat, smiling brighter. "But nevermind that. Forgive me, but I confess I had ulterior motives for inviting the two of you to the gala."

Jasmine glanced at Leon, before turning her attention back to Nevas with raised eyebrows. "Is that so?"

Nevas smiled, pulling her hand free from Thane's arm to gesture at the couple. "I recalled you speaking about moving investments to Illium at lunch the other day. I thought perhaps you might be interested in RetCorp as a potential investment. I hope you don't mind, but I took the liberty of clearing the way for you. If you're amenable to a meeting, I can introduce you to Kesyr Atela, she's the head of the investments department."

Thane studied Jasmine's face, noting the faint twitch of her lips. It must be a favorable outcome for her, perhaps even a part of her plan. Was this Kesyr Atela one of her targets? His mind stalled with a startling thought: what if Nevas was a target? Jasmine turned to Leon and raised an eyebrow. Leon hesitated, seeming to think on the matter before nodding his head.

"That'd be fantastic. Thank you, Nevas." Jasmine touched the asari's shoulder, smiling wide enough to show teeth.

"Excellent, follow me then!" Nevas turned, waggling her fingers at Thane.

He stepped up beside her, offering her his arm once more. Nevas led them through the crowd, weaving them in and out of clusters of other people, primarily asari but others as well. Thane's gaze met that of another drell whose coloration and stature reminded him of Rone. He dipped his head in acknowledgement, and the man smiled, nodding his head in return. Nevas came to a stop next to a group of four asari, all dressed in ankle-length gowns in shades of purple and gray.

She pulled away from Thane, taking another step forward and tapping the shoulder of one of the asari. "Excuse me, Ms. Atela, I've brought Mrs. and Mr. Stone to see you."

The asari glanced over her shoulder, taking in first Nevas before sliding her gaze past Thane dismissively—excellent—until she found Jasmine and Leon. She smiled, turning to hold her hand out to Jasmine. "Hello, Mrs. Stone. It's a pleasure to meet you. Nevas tells me the two of you are looking to move investments to Illium?"

Jasmine shook the asari's hand. "Please, call me Sierra, and thank you for the interest, Ms. Atela." Jasmine gestured to Leon. "This is my husband, Adam. We'd be delighted to set an appointment to meet with you to learn more about RetCorp, perhaps discuss what investment opportunities your company has to offer."

"Of course, you must call me Kesyr, then." She smiled turning her attention to Leon just long enough to shake his hand before turning her gaze back to Jasmine. "I believe I have openings tomorrow morning and evening, if that works for you?"

"I'm sure we can make it work." Leon said, wrapping his hand around Jasmine's waist. "Don't you think, dear?"

"Of course." Jasmine smiled, her jaw clenching for half a breath.

Kesyr clapped her hands together. "Wonderful. Nevas, be a dear and take them to Jilena, she can put them on my schedule."

Nevas nodded. "Yes, of course."

* * *

"Dance with me, Sierra?" Nevas sat her champagne down, grabbing Jasmine's hand and pulling her out onto the dance floor before Jasmine could even think to decline.

Jasmine laughed, slipping her hand around the asari's waist, leading her in the dance. She almost felt bad for encouraging Nevas' flirtatious behavior, but reminded herself the woman wasn't really her friend, but a contact serving the purpose of introducing her to the higher ups in RetCorp—plus, the added bonus of getting under Leon's skin made her smile. Nevas stumbled here and there, clearly more than a little tipsy, but all smiles and laughs as they moved over the dance floor. Jasmine turned Nevas, catching a glimpse of both Thane and Leon watching them, and she smiled. She needed to find a way to get Thane alone for a minute, just long enough to figure out why the hell he came to Illium.

Her heart had slammed against her ribs so hard when she saw him, she'd nearly blown his cover and her own—coming so close to running right up to him, desperately wanting to wrap her arms around him. She considered herself lucky Leon didn't catch her slip; she needed to check herself, be more careful. Her joy shifted to something else entirely when she saw Nevas lace her arm through Thane's. Her mind raced, making it impossible to pay attention to the conversation going on around her with Leon and the two RetCorp employees, she didn't even catch the asari's names. It hurt too much to think he'd moved on from whatever went on between them on the Citadel, so instead, she thought his presence on Illium with Nevas must mean he took a contract. Maybe even a contract on her targets.

"You know, Adam is a fantastic dancer." Jasmine twirled Nevas, using the opportunity to glance back at the table, seeing Leon and Thane engaged in conversation. That definitely didn't sit well with her, as much as she trusted Thane to protect his cover and not mention anything about the two of them knowing one another, she knew Leon would latch onto the smallest inconsistency and start digging.

"Is that so?" Nevas raised a brow ridge, pulling herself back in close to Jasmine, their chests brushing together. "Hmm, perhaps I should judge for myself. What do you think?"

 _Bingo._

Jasmine smiled. "By all means," she said, as the music slowed to a stop. "You should ask him to dance." She let her hand linger on Nevas' waist, leading her back to the table before the band started playing again and Nevas swept Jasmine up in another dance.

"Adam, Sierra tells me you're a fantastic dancer." Nevas held her hand out to Leon. "Care to dance?"

Leon glanced at Jasmine, and she smiled at him, winking. He smirked, pushing away from the table he took Nevas' hand and led her back to the dance floor, pouring every bit of his charm into the smile he gave her. Jasmine watched until they were out of earshot, then picked up her champagne glass, lifting it to her lips while she cocked an eyebrow at Thane.

 _Start talking, mister._

A slow, soft smile spread over his lips, tugging at something deep inside of Jasmine. He pushed his chair away from the table, holding his hand out to her, studying her with the eyes that haunted her dreams more and more as the days dragged past. She set her glass back down on the table and slid her hand into his, sighing the moment they made contact, holding his gaze as he walked around the table.

They didn't move very far out onto the dance floor, keeping their distance from Leon and Nevas. His hand slid around her, settling just below her shoulder blade—his fingers finding bare skin thanks to the cut of her dress—sending electricity arcing through her. She took in a slow, savoring breath, pulling in the subtle hints of his scent: patchouli with undertones of mint. She slid her hand over the warm, butter-soft leather of his jacket, bringing it to rest on his broad shoulder. He held her gaze as he lifted her other hand in his. The light catching on his emerald eyes made it difficult for her to remember they stood in a room full of people. More importantly, among those people, her pretend husband danced with her pretend friend. Turning her other hand, she closed her fingers over the back of his hand, his warm, scaled palm pressed to hers. The music started, and he lead her, the steps unfamiliar but easy enough for her to pick up.

"Hello, siha. I've missed you." His hands pressed against her a little tighter, warmth spreading through her from those points of contact making her heart flutter, adding emphasis to his words.

She couldn't keep the smile from her face if she'd wanted to, and she didn't want to. Having him there, dancing with her, feeling his hands guiding her, the roll of his muscles beneath hers … looking into his eyes and hearing his voice … she sighed, tightening her grip on him. "I missed you, too, but what the hell are you doing here? Please tell me you didn't come all this way to steal my job."

Thane chuckled, his smile growing. "Now there's a thought." He held her gaze, not speaking for a moment before finally saying, "No, siha. I haven't come to take your targets from you; I have no contract here."

"So …?" Jasmine fought to keep her eyebrows from drawing in, confusion rising up only to give way to a new thought, one that made hope flicker in the back of her mind.

His fingers brushed over her back, sliding a little further around her, pulling her a hair closer to him. "As I said … I missed you."

The heady sound of his voice, so raw and filled with want, sent shivers down her spine even as the rest of her warmed. Jasmine licked her lips, letting his words hang in the air between them as he moved her effortlessly over the dance floor, pulling her further and further away from Leon and Nevas.

 _He can't be serious?_

"You came all the way to Illium," she said, licking her lips again, trying to work up moisture in her bone-dry mouth, and swallowed, "to see me?"

He dipped his head. "Indeed."

Her breath caught in her throat, her eyes stinging with the threat of tears, overwhelmed by the gesture. She lowered her gaze, blinking her eyes to push away the burning wetness, her hand clutching his shoulder while her mind reeled.

"Do you not want me here, siha?" Thane asked, his voice laced with doubt.

She shook her head, looking into his eyes again, the green of his irises just barely visible for the moment. "No, it's not that. I do." She took a deep breath, and tightened her grip on his hand, wishing it possible to convey everything she felt through touch alone. "God I do, but … I—Jesus, Thane. What if Leon figures out who you are?"

"My only concern is what it'd mean for you." Thane brushed his fingers over her back, a covert caress as he turned her on the floor. "If my being here will endanger you in any way … tell me to go, and I will leave."

Jasmine chuckled, snorting softly. His lips curved up in an amused smile, and he tilted his head a bit, raising his brow ridges in question.

 _Oh, the irony._

She grinned, glancing around her again to be sure no one listened … and she wasn't in Leon's line of sight. "It didn't work for either of us on the Citadel, why let it now?"

"Indeed," he said, brushing his fingers over her skin once more as they danced, teasing up goosebumps in his wake.

She slid her hand a little further up his shoulder, closing a fraction of the distance between them; getting as close as she dared. It wasn't enough, though, she felt the heat radiating off of him but it only made her desperate to feel more of him. "It'll be more of a challenge here … spending time with you."

"You seem to enjoy a challenge." He turned her again, his gaze sliding past her to sweep over the crowd before finding hers again.

"I do." She grinned before scraping her teeth over her lip, the knot in her chest loosened, unwinding itself now that she knew he came for her and intended to stay. "I'm glad you're here. Though, I must admit, I'm more than a little disappointed to learn you're only interested in men. And here I thought I had a chance."

Thane chuckled, turning her on the floor. "Leon is a handsome man."

"Mmm. Don't let his looks or his charm fool you, he only cares about one person really and that's himself." She glanced over Thane's shoulder, catching a glimpse of Leon and Nevas leaving the dance floor, returning to their table. "He'll leave you brokenhearted, but, if you can keep from getting invested, I suppose he's worth the ride."

Thane made the strangled coughing sound she'd so come to love, his frills turning a shade redder. Her grin widened and she bit the corner of her lip. He chuckled shaking his head at her, turning her again on the dancefloor.

He dipped his head, conceding the loss. "I'll have to take your word on it, I've no intentions of bedding your handler."

Jasmine smirked, brushing her thumb over his shoulder. "What a shame. It would've been fun to watch. I could've called Ares in for the show."

Thane laughed and shook his head. "You're incorrigible."

"Yep." She winked at him. "But here you are, nonetheless."

"I am, and I have so much I want to talk to you about." His smile faded, adding to the heavy tone of his voice. "I hope now that I'm here, you might be able to find a chance … I don't wish to distract you from your work, but I would very much like the opportunity to see you some place where we can speak freely." He hesitated, his lips slightly parted, making Jasmine want to nip at his lower lip, pull it into her mouth. "Perhaps someplace less public?"

 _God, yes, please._

She glanced around her, checking her positioning again. "Work isn't the issue, it's Leon. He's barely given me any time to myself. Most days I'm surprised he lets me shower in peace. He's been acting really … strange."

"Are you …" He paused, his lips poised to say one thing before he blinked and shifted to something else. "… is there reason for concern?"

Sighing, she lifted her shoulder a little. "I'm not really sure, to be honest. With our history … but enough about him. God, I _so_ don't want to talk about him." She forced a smile. "I can slip away, now that I have a reason to." Her eyebrows shot up with her next thought. "Oh! Tell me you brought _cinuela_! I ordered some from a café, but it wasn't the same. So disappointing. You've spoiled me."

Thane grinned, lighting up the room around them. "Of course. I can make you a pot all for yourself, if you'd like. I'll give you the address for the apartment I rented."

"Where's the fun in you just _giving_ it to me?" She lifted the corners of her mouth in a slow, devious smile. "Don't worry, I'll find you."

He dipped his head, his smile widening until she thought it might just kill her not to kiss him again. "I look forward to it."

Jasmine glanced over his shoulder again, catching sight of Leon weaving his way through the crowd, and just like that the moment vanished, the warm feeling inside of her dissipating. She took a deep breath and squeezed Thane's hand, schooling her expression. "Speak of the devil."

Leon spotted her, and smiled. The urge to take Thane's hand and run away, pulling him along with her felt so strong, for a moment she contemplated doing exactly that. Adrenaline spiked through her system, ready to give her the extra push she'd need to flee. To hell with Leon, and to hell with the Alliance. She groaned inwardly as rationality replaced the flight of fancy with the next beat of her heart. As appealing as the thought was, she knew it'd never be so simple. And really, all things considered, she liked her job—she was just getting really tired of Leon.

She forced herself to smile back, and swallowed, thinking she might choke on what she needed to say next to keep up their charade. "My husband's found us, Saman, I think you might've made him jealous after all."

Thane returned the squeeze, and without missing a beat stepped to the side, ready to hand her over to Leon. "We can't have that, Mrs. Stone."

Jasmine fought back the urge to wince hearing those words from his mouth. "No need to be so formal. Please, call me Sierra."

He nodded once. "As you wish." Every ounce of desire she'd seen in his eyes seconds before disappeared, now secured behind the mask of his alias, so completely absent it almost made her wonder if she'd imagined it to begin with.

Leon stopped next to them and Thane dipped his head, letting go of Jasmine. Her fingers twitched as his hand slipped away, even her reflexes wanting to hold on to him. Leon wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her in next to him. It felt so wrong, so unfair. She clenched her jaw and slipped her hand around his back, forcing a smile on her face.

He looked down at her. "I think Nevas had a bit too much to drink. I think maybe we should take her home."

"Is she alright?" Jasmine pulled away from him, making her way back to the table. She glanced over her shoulder to see both men following her through the crowd.

Leon shrugged and nodded. "Yeah, I think she's just getting woozy and sleepy."

Nevas jumped up from the table when she saw Jasmine approaching. "Sierra! Dance with me!" The asari stumbled forward, falling into Jasmine's arms.

Jasmine laughed, helping Nevas back to her feet. "I think we've danced enough for the night. How about we take you home instead?"

Thane gestured at the asari. "I can escort her home, if you'd like."

Nevas stuck out her lower lip. "I don't want to go home."

Leon chuckled, glancing at Jasmine. He'd heard the same words out of her mouth while drunk more than a few times over the years. "Nevas, love, you can barely stand up on your own."

"If I go home, I'll be alone and bored." She scrunched up her face, and slid her arm around Jasmine's waist, resting her head on Jasmine's shoulder, swaying back and forth. "I want to dance."

Jasmine put a foot back to give herself more leverage to hold Nevas upright before they both toppled over. Stilettos were definitely not meant to support the unbalanced weight of a dunk asari hanging off of her. She wrapped her arms around the other woman's waist, and let herself be moved in the gentle, if staggered, motion. Lowering her head next to Nevas' ear, she whispered, "Your co-workers are starting to take notice. Let us take you home before you become the source of office gossip tomorrow."

"Will you stay with me for awhile?" Nevas mumbled against Jasmine's shoulder, loud enough for all three to hear.

Jasmine glanced at Leon, and when he nodded at her she said, "Sure. We can stay for a little while."

"Saman, too?" Nevas nuzzled against Jasmine's shoulder.

Jasmine chuckled, turning her head enough to see past the asari's crest. Thane smiled and dipped his head. Her gaze brushed over Leon again as she went to relay Thane's agreement to Nevas, and she caught a flicker of annoyance cross Leon's face. It told her all she needed to know Leon orchestrated the whole thing; probably encouraging Nevas to guzzle champagne while Jasmine danced with Thane. He wanted her to get drunk enough to need help getting home, so they'd be the ones to take her. He probably intended to rifle through her apartment in the hopes of finding more intel on their targets.

 _Not cool, asshole. She's my contact, and we didn't discuss this._

Nevas pulled back to stare up at her when she didn't answer right away.

Jasmine smiled and nodded. "Saman will come, too."


	20. Ren'Shala D'Lar

**Ren'Shala D'Lar**

Leon slipped his hand around her arm, halting her in her tracks. She looked up at him with a raised eyebrow, nerves so frazzled she struggled not to slap him. Thane led Nevas through the front door, her arms wrapped around him as he held the laughing asari on her feet.

Leon waited for them to get out of earshot before turning his attention back to Jasmine, speaking in a hushed tone, "I need a few minutes to look around. She's going to fall asleep soon, see if you can get the drell to taker her out to the patio for some fresh air and then keep him out there with you."

Jasmine grit her teeth. "What the hell did you give her? We didn't discuss any of this, Leon."

The look he gave her, eyebrows raised and a thin-lipped frown, made her feel like a little girl about to be scolded by her father. "Don't worry about it, she's fine. She'll sleep it off. Just get him out of the way for a few minutes."

Jerking her arm free from his grip, she made her way into the apartment, glancing back at him over her shoulder. "Asshole."

Leon smirked, shaking his head as he followed her inside. She found Nevas and Thane in the kitchen; Nevas leaning against the counter while Thane poured her a glass of water. Slipping her arm around the asari's waist, Jasmine snickered when the intoxicated woman wrapped herself around her, all but purring with contentment as she ran her fingers through Jasmine's hair. Thane glanced over his shoulder as he turned off the water, the corners of his mouth tugging upward. She grinned—both because he was actually _there_ and because she knew he'd have just as much of a struggle getting Nevas to drink the water as he did with her, drunk off her ass, refusing to call it a night.

"I could use some fresh air," she said, resting her chin on Nevas' head. "How about we go out on the patio for a little while?" Cutting her gaze to Thane, she quirked her eyebrows.

"Okay." Nevas nodded her head, letting Jasmine turn her toward the patio door.

Thane dipped his head, following them with the glass of water. Jasmine got Nevas settled in a lounging chair, taking the glass from Thane and setting it on the table next to the asari. Glancing up, she saw Leon watching her from the patio door with a strange look on his face, making her want to dig in her heels and demand he tell her what the hell was going on with him.

He turned his gaze to Nevas. "Sorry to be a bother, but would you mind if I used your restroom?"

Nevas rolled over, nearly falling off of the lounge as she twisted around to look at Leon. She waved her hand back in toward the apartment. "Of course not, it's the door right there next to the couch."

Leon smiled, glancing over his shoulder in the direction she pointed. "Thanks," he said, sliding the door closed behind him.

* * *

Thane watched in silence, content with his place in the shadows as Jasmine convinced Nevas to take a few sips of water before the asari fell asleep. It became clear to him Nevas was under the influence of something more than champagne when her speech and fine motor skills continued to decline on the ride back to her apartment. Judging by the way Jasmine's gaze hardened and flickered to Leon everytime she looked at Nevas, Thane assumed the man to be responsible for Nevas' state, and it angered his siha.

Glancing back at the closed patio door, she pressed her lips together and reached past the asari, pulling a blanket off another chair to drape over Nevas. He'd have been more concerned, but when she turned to him, her features softened, assuring him things weren't quite as dire as they might seem. She stood, her gaze flicking back to the door once more before settling on him with a smile. The ambient light of the city danced off her dress and hair, bringing an ethereal glow to her skin as she made her way closer to him. Turning, she braced her palms against the edge of the half wall behind her, standing closer than he hoped, but still further away than he liked.

"He's drugged her." Thane kept his voice low enough it wouldn't carry to Nevas, should she wake.

Jasmine nodded, pursing her lips. "I didn't know he was going to."

"Would you have argued against it?" He watched her as she watched the sleeping asari, trying to imagine himself arguing with Beleno over a chosen course of action. The idea seemed ludicrous, even to him now, but then again his relationship with his old handler differed from Jasmine and Leon's in many, many ways.

Her lips parted but she hesitated, tilting her head to the side. "Yeah. I don't think she really has anything else we can use, and we're putting her in enough danger already." Her voice sounded heavy, laden with compassion and remorse.

 _Not a target, then._

"You care for her?" Before meeting her, before having his eyes torn open and forced to see the world around him, he might've scoffed at the idea of an assassin becoming attached to their assets. Now he realized he'd long ago done the same with Mouse and the other duct rats on the Citadel, with Theodus even, to a lesser degree, and quite likely several others spread throughout the galaxy if he took the time to consider each of them free from the deadening effects of his battle sleep. Hadn't Nevas, in such a short time, managed to endear herself to him as well?

Jasmine lifted her shoulders, turning her gaze on him, studying him for a time before answering. "I think under different circumstances, we might've been real friends. She's nice, and I don't think she deserves the crap I brought into her life when I chose her name from a list of RetCorp employees."

"Ah." He lifted his head a little, leaning back against the wall, matching her posture.

Her eyebrows arched, defiance springing to life like wildfire in the rainforests of her eyes. "What?"

He lifted a shoulder, hesitating while he felt out the suddenly thick atmosphere around her. "You feel responsible for her."

"And?" Her tone sharpened, not much, just enough for him to notice.

He waved a hand dismissively, unsure of what he'd said this time to spark her ire, but knowing he wanted to soothe it before she became truly upset with him, especially when they likely only had a few minutes to speak. "And nothing, now I understand is all."

She glanced down at the ground, seeming to stare at nothing in particular, letting the silence stretch on for a moment. Taking a deep, noisy breath, she let her shoulder's drop. When she looked back at him, the crease between her eyes disappeared, and her voice softened, becoming almost vulnerable. "Thank you."

"For what, siha?" He turned to face her fully, the weary tone of her voice demanding his attention completely.

"For not being judgemental." She folded her shoulders inward. "For being here."

Glancing at the door and then Nevas sleeping mere meters away, Thane took a risk, reaching out to brush his fingertips down Jasmine's arm. "Thank you for not sending me away."

She chuckled, turning her palm out as his fingers reached her wrist. Welcoming his hand into hers, gripping his fingers tightly, she shook her head. "You probably shouldn't thank me. I'm probably being selfish, putting you at risk because I want you to stay."

Thane smiled, running his thumb along her hand. "I'm not blind to the dangers, siha. I felt … lost when you left the Citadel. Just being able to do this again," he said lifting their hands a little, "makes it worth the risk."

She glanced down at their hands, licking her lips and swallowing before she whispered, "What am I to you, Thane?"

Thane opened his mouth to speak, his mind racing to find the right words to tell her what he needed her to hear, to tell her how much he'd come to care for her, and how desperately he wanted to be with her, how alone and empty everything felt in her absence … but then the patio door slid open, and her hand pulled free from his.

* * *

"Did you find anything?" Jasmine asked as soon as the skycar lifted into the air, taking her and Leon back to their apartment.

He glanced over at her, his eyes suddenly cold and distant, shaking his head. She saw his cheek bulge, his tongue pressing against the inside of his mouth. A telltale sign he was upset. Crossing her arms over her chest she leaned back in her seat, ready to poke the bear if that's what it took to get him talking and clear the air.

"So … you want to tell me what your little executive decision was about?" She arched her eyebrow. "We're supposed to be working as a team on this, Leon. You left making contact and establishing relationships to me. So what's with drugging Nevas?"

"We needed more information. She might've had something we could use." He glanced over at her again. "It'd be stupid not to go looking when the opportunity presented itself. Of course, it would've been easier if her friend hadn't come along for the ride." He scoffed, the sound needling its way under her skin, pulling the muscles along her spine taut as effectively as ever. "But at least you managed to keep him busy." Something dark and ugly danced across his eyes. "What'd you even do? The guy's gay, so at least I know you weren't throwing yourself all over him, too."

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Jasmine turned in her seat, her lip raised in disgust, her eyes narrowed.

"Nevas, Jasmine! She was all over you all night and you encouraged her." Leon glared at her, his fists gripped in white-knuckled fury. "We're supposed to be presenting ourselves as husband and wife, but instead you spent half the night letting Nevas feel you up in front of all of RetCorp. You could've blow the entire fucking op."

Growling with frustration, she rolled her eyes. "For fuck's sake, Leon. She was _not_ feeling me up!"

 _Not exactly. And who the fuck are you to question it anyway?_

"What do you call it then, Jasmine?" Leon arched an eyebrow at her in challenge. "Every time I looked up I saw her touching you, wrapping her arms around you, dragging you out on the dance floor … ogling your tits and pretending it was your dress that caught her attention."

"Oh my God, you're serious." Snorting, she shook her head. "Nothing out of the ordinary happened, Leon. In fact, if I had to guess, I'd say only one person paid any attention to when and where Nevas touched me tonight, and that's you."

"Is this job a joke to you?" Leon sneered at her. "I thought you were ready … thought you wanted to be taken seriously. I guess I misjudged, because all I've seen out of you tonight is half-assed attempts to do your job, because _you_ can't put your personal feelings aside."

Jasmine let out a sharp bark of laughter, her eyebrows shooting halfway up her forehead. "Excuse me?"

"I told you I loved you, and you threw it back in my face." Leon met her gaze, staged pain painting the blue of his eyes a darker shade in the dim light of the skycar. He shrugged. "That hurt, Jasmine, but I get it. You're not interested in me anymore. Hell, you fucking hate me … I guess I just didn't realize things were that bad between us … but it doesn't matter, because when we walk out the door together, all that shit stays behind." Leon swallowed, his voice dropping, sounding strained. "Hate me on your own time, but when we're out there, suck it up and treat me like you're my loving wife. We'll get the job done and you won't have to deal with me again."

"I don't hate you, Leon, not yet anyway, but you sure as fuck are making it awful hard to like you right now." Jasmine took in a deep breath, trying to calm the mountain of rage growing inside of her. "And maybe you haven't noticed, but most married couples don't cling to each other the way you were on me tonight." She took another deep breath. "Maybe it's not me who can't put my personal feelings aside in order to do the job."

They flew in silence, the quiet only amping up the tension, making the air so thick she felt like she might choke on it before they got back to the apartment. She stared out the windshield, watching the other cars fly by and the lights flashing all around them. Wishing like hell Leon never showed up on the Citadel, she wanted nothing more than to be lying next to Thane, making him watch old Earth vids with her, laughing as she tried to explain the outdated jokes. The never did finish watching _The Hobbit._ She wanted to know what she meant to him, but she realized, ultimately it didn't matter; whatever she had with Thane, even if it never became anything more than a stolen kiss and holding hands while they talked about how fucked up their lives had been … what he gave her was already infinitely better than anything Leon ever offered.

She kept her gaze forward, her voice low and steady as he landed the skycar just outside of Athame Towers. "I don't know what's going on with you, but you haven't been acting like yourself since you showed up on the Citadel."

"Please. I'm not the one who's changed. Don't make your problem about me, Jasmine." Leon turned off the car, opening his door, looking back at her over his shoulder. "You might want to spend some time tonight brushing up on your acting skills, we've got a meeting with Atela in the morning. You know, in case you thought we're just here to have fun."

"You know, you are so full of shit! Maybe if you weren't acting like a jealous ape all goddamn night, pawing at me like I'm a prize to be won in a territorial dispute, then _maybe_ just maybe, I might've been able to stomach playing the part of a doting wife." Jasmine opened the skycar door, stepping out into the cool night air before turning around to square off with Leon over the top of the vehicle.

"The fact of the matter is, you're jealous. Like, actually jealous. Not pretending to be jealous, not trying to preserve our cover … but actually fucking jealous." Scoffing, she shook her head. "And not even because you give a shit about me, because you don't and never have, but because you realize you aren't the center of my universe anymore. I don't fall to my knees at your feet when you crook your finger at me. You're jealous because you _can't_ have me."

She twisted her mouth in a sneer. "You have _no_ right to be." Pressing her palms to the top of the skycar, she leaned over to hiss, "I'm _not_ your wife, Leon. I'll _never be_ your wife, so keep your fucking hands off of me."

She turned her back on him, daring him to call her out and order her to face him. He said nothing, so she started walking, making her way to the front doors of Athame Towers. Reaching the entrance, she glanced over her shoulder to see Leon climb back into the skycar and take off. She clenched her jaw, watching the skycar disappear into the darkness of night before opening the doors, pissed she'd let him get her so worked up, and annoyed to no end she let him get away with changing the subject.

She forced a smile in acknowledgement at the concierge's greeting, knowing all too well it looked every bit as angry as she felt. Making her way to the elevators, tears began to sting the her eyes and she silently cursed herself, ramming her finger into the elevator call button a second time even though she knew it wouldn't make it arrive any faster. Finally, the elevator came and Jasmine stepped inside, pushing the button for her floor before shoving her palms against her eyes.

* * *

The stench of alcohol and the strangled sound of someone fighting back sobs shook Jasmine from an already restless sleep. Her heart skipped a beat in her chest, her mind racing for one, sleep-blurred moment until her training kicked in, and she steadied herself. Keeping her breathing even and her eyes shut, she tossed on her bed, staying with the ruse of sleeping as she put her hand a little closer to her pistol and tried to pinpoint the intruder's location.

"It's just …" Leon's voice, thick and slurred sounded from a meter away directly ahead of her. "… fuck, it's just me, love."

She opened her eyes, zeroing in on the all too familiar silhouette of her handler hunched over in the armchair across from her bed. "What the hell, Leon?"

"Shh … it's just me. You don't need to shoot me, just go back to sleep. You don't need to shoot me."

Jasmine suppressed a groan, pushing herself upright until she reached the lamp switch and turned on the light. Squinting her eyes against the glare, she looked at Leon, taking in the dried trail of blood coming from his clearly broken nose, crimson droplets staining his shirt, and the bottle of asari honey mead dangling from his hand. His mop of golden hair hung in his face, bloodshot eyes blinking back tears.

She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose before throwing the covers off and sitting up. Sliding off the bed, she moved to stand in front of him. "What happened?"

He leaned back in the chair, his head lolling back as his glassy eyes took her in. "I got in a fight."

"With who?" Jasmine pressed her fingers to her forehead, rubbing at the bundle of tight muscles just beneath the skin.

"Drulius." Leon lifted the bottle to his mouth, spilling the mead down his chin before scrubbing his hand over his face to wipe it away. He winced when his fingers hit his swollen, bruised nose.

She took a deep breath, letting it out slow. "Who is Drulius? Why'd you get in a fight? Is our cover here blown?"

Leon scoffed, the sound so full of derision she had to hold herself back from punching him in his already battered face. "Cover's fine." Leon pushed forward in the chair, wobbling even before he managed to make it to his feet. "He's just a turian I met in a bar. Got … got in a fight with him … 'cause why the fuck not?"

His massive frame started to tilt to the left, and Jasmine reached out a hand to steady him. He jerked his arm away from her, stumbling backwards and plopping back down into the chair in the process. "Don't … don't touch me." Pushing himself back up, he dropped the bottle, spilling alcohol out all over her floor.

Jasmine groaned, picking up the bottle and setting it on her night stand before turning her attention back to Leon. "Come on, let me help you get cleaned up and in bed. Looks like you managed to at least set your nose, but that's going to hurt like hell in the morning."

He waved her hands away when she tried to help him up again. "You said … you said keep my fucking hands off you … so don't touch me."

"Jesus fucking Christ, Leon." She held her hands up in surrender. "Alright, fine. Then get your ass up, and go to your own bedroom."

He pushed himself up and took staggering steps forward, stopping to brace himself against the closed door, leaning his head against the smooth metal surface. "I need you to help me, Jasmine," he all but whispered, his voice hoarse and choked.

"What do you think I'm trying to do?" She slapped her palms against her thighs.

He rolled his head, shaking it back and forth against the door. "Not what I mean."

"Then what do you mean?" She sighed, crossing her arms over her chest.

He looked back at her, his gaze wavering and unfocused before he licked his lips and opened the door. "Nevermind." Cursing softly, he stumbled out of the room.

She followed him out, her gaze snagging on an unfamiliar shape stretched out over the couch in the near-dark living room. Her breath caught in her throat, and she stopped in her tracks, reaching for a gun she didn't have on her when she realized the shape belonged to a person. Slapping her hand down on Leon's back, she gripped his shirt in a fist and pulled him back, turning her shoulder to brace his weight before he fell in a heap at her feet. She reached up, covering his mouth with her other hand, clamping down on his startled yelp. Letting her hand slide down his back, she checked his waist for his sidearm, pulling it free from its holster.

Jasmine let go of him, the pistol whirring to life in her hand as she took aim at the figure on the couch. Leon's heavy hand fell on her shoulder, and she glanced back at him, the light from her room only adding shadows to his face.

Shaking his head he reached for the weapon, waggling his fingers at the pistol. "It's Drulius, love. You don't need to shoot him either."

Clenching her jaw, she bit back her snide remarks, collapsing the pistol and shoving it against his chest. She pointed at his bedroom door, and gave him a little shove to get him moving in the right direction. Following him as he wobbled his way to his room, Jasmine opened the door and turned on the light. Leon collapsed down on his bed, sprawling across the mattress at an angle with his arms thrown wide and one foot still on the floor. His pistol bounced on his chest before rolling off to the side.

Closing the door behind her, Jasmine glared at him, forcing herself to talk quietly when she wanted to shout. "What. The. Fuck? Why is there a strange turian on our couch?"

He swallowed thickly, shaking his head a little as he closed his eyes. "I'm sorry, Jasmine. I don't … I don't know what I'm doing here." He swallowed again, throwing an arm over his eyes. "It'd be better if they just killed him."

Like walking face first into a brick wall that wasn't there a moment before, the confusion left Jasmine stunned, scrunching up her face. "Huh?"

He didn't say anything, his breathing starting to even out. After a few seconds, she nudged his leg with her foot. He dropped his arm back to the bed and looked at her, his eyelids drooping.

"What?" He tried to sit up, groaning as he braced himself, hands pressed into the mattress.

"I asked you why there's a turian on our couch, and you started talking about someone being better off dead." Jasmine raised her hands up. "What the hell is going on?"

Sitting up the rest of the way, he shrugged off his over shirt, already hanging loose and unbuttoned. He glanced up at her, grinning like a cat who caught a mouse. "I told him my wife wouldn't yell at me with him here."

Jasmine snorted, shaking her head in dismay. "Yeah, well ' _your wife'_ still might shoot you with him here if you don't start making sense."

Chuckling, he kicked off his shoes. "You say the sweetest things." He tugged his undershirt up, catching it on his face as he ripped it off over his head. "Ow! Fuck!" Fresh blood trickled from his nose, spilling down over his chin.

"Idiot." Rolling her eyes, she left the room making her way to the bathroom. She glanced over her shoulder at the still form of the turian, presumably sound asleep, her hackles rising at the unknown quantity.

Grabbing a clean washcloth off the shelf, she ran it under cold water before ringing it out. She pulled her lip in between her teeth, pondering the idea gnawing at her since before going to sleep earlier that night. Something was going on with Leon, something he wasn't telling her and seemed to be working damn hard to distract her from. At first, she wanted to believe he actually respected her enough to let her take the lead on the job … but after their argument in the skycar, she started to suspect maybe she'd fallen for another ruse meant to keep her preoccupied, just like all the love crap. The whole thing smelled like misdirection to her, and she wanted to know why.

After he took off, she spent an hour sorting through the programs she had access too that she might be able to use to figure this thing out. A gamble, for sure; using spyware against her handler had to be means for disciplinary actions if she were caught. She couldn't even be sure his omni-tool wouldn't be protected from Alliance designed programs. If it didn't work, at worst he'd be instantly notified of the attempt. At best, nothing at all would happen. But if it did work … she'd have access to his omni-tool, and God damn it, if he planned on pulling her into trouble head first, she wanted to see it coming.

She glanced down at her omni-tool, giving her lip one final nibble before letting it go. Activating the device, she scrolled through her programs until she found the one she wanted. She prepped the application before closing her omni-tool again, glancing at her reflection in the mirror.

 _Best chance I'm going to get with him drunk off his ass._

* * *

Kesyr Atela smiled indulgently at Leon when he apologized for his appearance, attempting to explain away his injuries as having been caused by an accidental slip and fall in the shower. It was pretty clear to Jasmine the asari didn't buy it, but neither did she give a damn how Leon managed to get his face banged up so long as Mrs. and Mr. Stone were serious about investing. At least he didn't still reek of alcohol, but Jasmine wished he'd just kept his ass in bed and let her handle the meeting herself.

Leaning back in her chair, she folded her hands in her lap and smiled at the three asari executives sitting across from them. It seemed Atela hoped to streamline the meeting, skipping right over the wooing phase and jumping straight to contract signing. Realistically, it was irrelevant to both Leon and Jasmine, they were getting what they came for either way. Mrs. and Mr. Stone wouldn't be keen on the idea of jumping in head first, so they needed to make it look like they gave a damn, something Jasmine found exceptionally hard after a long night of dealing with his bullshit.

What did interest Jasmine, however, was the asari sitting in the middle of the group: Ren'Shala D'Lar. The dossiers painted her as the ringleader; the asari mastermind who wrote up all of RetCorp's contracts. D'Lar owned responsibility for the crafty, careful wording locking the human colonies into receiving deadly medications. Everything about the woman made Jasmine's skin crawl. She had the look of a predator with her sharp, focused gaze and aggressive smile; body language demanding she be given a wide berth or else risk being beaten into submission by the sheer force of her will. She was someone who clearly thrived on finding new and creative ways to screw over other people. Jasmine thought she might actually enjoy putting a bullet between her violet eyes.

Letting her gaze slide to Leon, she flashed him a smile. Begrudgingly, she had to admit even with looking every bit the part of having gone three rounds with a turian—and every drink an Illium bar had to offer—the night before, he held his own in the conversation. She let him talk, controlling the flow and keeping the asari off balanced. Obviously, they expected Jasmine to be the face of the transaction, but now they were being forced to deal with Leon as Mrs. Stone deferred to her husband. It worked well, it gave Jasmine the opportunity to do one of the things she did best: people-watching. And what she saw were three very interested asari who liked the sound of the numbers Leon threw around. The asari took the bait, and now it was time for Jasmine to give the line a little tug … and if she pulled the line just right, she might even be able to snag them a little more than they bargained for.

Leaning forward, she sat up straight, her hands resting atop one another on the conference table. She plastered a smile on her face, easily drawing the attention of all three asari back to her. "Of course, we expect to receive a full tour of your facilities before we agree to any terms." She waved her hand, brushing aside the notion before any of the executives formed an argument. "Naturally we'll sign whatever non-disclosure agreements you require first, but we simply must insist we are completely informed of what, exactly, we'll be investing in."

D'Lar's gaze zeroed in on Jasmine so completely, she almost wanted to check and see if she'd actually painted a big, red bullseye on her forehead instead of just the figurative one she aimed for. The asari seemed to really like the idea of challenging prey, one corner of her mouth lifting in a slow smirk before the other side caught up, showing Jasmine her teeth in what looked more like the anticipation before a pounce than a smile. Fighting the urge to roll her eyes, Jasmine wondered if D'Lar's father happened to be krogan.

Atela made a stuttering noise, but neither Jasmine nor D'Lar looked her way for a few seconds longer. Jasmine knew in order to play her role right, she'd have to be the one to break eye contact first, but damn it if she wasn't going to milk the moment for all it was worth. Leon nudged her foot with his, and Jasmine let out a slow breath, turning her attention to Atela.

"Mrs. Stone, pardon, Sierra, you must understand …" Atela glanced between D'Lar and the third asari, Halani Atra, before continuing, "Our facilities contain our most classified …"

Jasmine leaned back in her chair, letting her eyes take on the glazed look of sudden boredom as she angled her body toward the door, casting furtive glances at the exit. To Leon's credit, he backed her play, bending down to pick up his satchel and moving it to his lap. Anyone with basic empathy, or failing that—given present psychotic company—an understanding of human body language, could see they'd both lost interest in the meeting and were preparing to leave.

"I'm sure a tour of our facilities can be arranged, Kesyr." D'Lar smirked, tugging her gaze away from Jasmine long enough to glance at Atela. "Afterall, Mrs. Stone has agreed to sign whatever NDAs we see fit, and she is offering a handsome investment. Surely it warrants her this small concession, if it'll ease her mind."

"Of course." Atela wiggled in her chair, pulling herself up a little straighter. "We'll have to discuss it with the rest of the board, but I'm certain it won't be an issue, once the NDAs have been signed."

"Fantastic," Leon said, easing his chair back from the table. "We look forward to hearing from you."

The three asari stood, signaling and end to the meeting before Leon made it to his feet. Jasmine had to hide a smirk at all of the bureaucratic power plays those three liked to dish out. Ever the charmer, Leon smiled, pushing his chair out the rest of the way and standing before holding his hand out to Jasmine. She took his hand, letting him help her to her feet before smoothing out the nonexistent wrinkles in her blouse, all to aware of the pull of D'Lar's predatory gaze on her.

After shaking hands with the three asari, Jasmine looped her arm through Leon's and headed for the door. Atra—seemingly the least important of the three—escorted them from the conference room and out through the winding hallways to the lobby before wishing them a good day.

* * *

Thane lifted his hand, pressing the intercom button once before tucking his hand back behind him. He waited a moment, and when no response came, he pushed the button again. Instead of the intercom buzzing to life as he'd expected, the door's access shifted from red to green. Expecting the door to slide open and Nevas to invite him inside, he waited several moments before opening the door himself.

"Nevas?" he called out, lingering over the threshold.

"I'm in the kitchen, come on in."

Thane let out a pent up breath. He didn't doubt Jasmine's intentions towards the asari, but from what little he'd seen of Leon … Thane couldn't say he trusted the man to avoid giving Nevas something truly harmful if it meant the opportunity to find some small scrap of intel. When she hadn't shown up at the restaurant where they agreed to have lunch, he thought it prudent to check on her. Hearing her voice filled Thane with cool relief, assuring him the asari recovered from whatever Leon drugged her with the night before.

Making his way through her apartment, he stopped in the kitchen doorway, tucking his hands behind his back once more. Taking in the asari still in her sleeping gown, he found himself grateful her taste in sleepwear ran on the modest side. "Good afternoon."

"Afternoon?" Nevas stopped fiddling with her kaffe press and opened her omni-tool to check the time. "Goddess, I can't believe I slept this late. Well, at least I had the day off today. Kaffe?"

"Yes, please. Thank you." Thane dipped his head. "I apologize if I disturbed your rest."

Nevas waved a hand at him, shaking her head. "I wish you'd come a few hours earlier, maybe then I'd actually be productive today." Her brow shot up. "Oh! We were supposed to have lunch today, weren't we? I'm a terrible friend, I'd forgotten completely."

Thane smiled. "It's quite alright. Last night was rather eventful; I'm not surprised you needed the extra sleep. How are you feeling?"

"Like I drank far more than I should have." Nevas chuckled. "I don't even remember going to bed, but I woke up before sunrise still in my dress from the night before."

"Ah, you fell asleep on the patio after we brought you home." He paused to accept a cup of kaffe from Nevas, dipping his head to her. "Sierra insisted Adam carry you to your bed."

Nevas smiled at the mention of Jasmine's alias as she moved to her dining table. Thane followed, taking a seat across from her before taking a sip of the hot, bitter kaffe. He wondered if Jasmine realized how much Nevas adored her; the asari seemed quite willing to overlook her supposed wedding vows to Leon if only Jasmine asked. He didn't blame Nevas, not with how easily he found himself swept up by Jasmine like flotsam, the wrecked pieces of the man he was before being carried back to shore by her shifting tides.

"Mmm. Well, if you haven't eaten, how about after this I get dressed and we go have our lunch date after all?" Nevas took a sip from her mug, glancing at Thane over the top.

"I'd like that." Thane sipped at his drink, already considering what he might say to get Nevas to tell him more about RetCorp. He wanted to know what exactly kept her there when she seemed to want to leave. Perhaps there was something he could do to help her; return the favor of her kindness and helping him get closer to Jasmine.


	21. Amarala Myrasan

**Amarala Myrasan**

Jasmine activated her tactical cloak and lowered herself from the awning to the balcony floor. She stayed there, crouched low, her head cocked to the side listening as she waited for her cloak to dissipate and recharge. Nothing met her ears but the the gentle tweets of evening birds, the chatter rising up from the crowds walking the streets down below, and the hum of skycars passing her by. Her pulse raced in her temples. Reactivating her cloak, she crept to the door, staying low behind the half-wall of the balcony. She opened her omni-tool and started scanning.

 _Alright, Sere Krios. Let's see what you have for me. Okay, so motion detector not so good … oh but look, I haven't activated it yet. Thank you, Leon, for the cloak. Even if you are still an asshole. Okay, so, motion detector first to go. Come on Thane, you can do better than this. There's got to be more._

"Shit," Jasmine whispered when she realized disabling the motion detector set a countdown into motion.

 _Shit, shit, shit. What is it? Where is it? Aha! There you are. A flahsbang? What, seriously? Oh come on! A child could take care of that. You don't really think so low of me, do you? Wait. You've got it tied to something else … what the fuck is that?_

"Oh, that's not fair. An EMP? You'll fry my omni-tool _and_ my cloak. Damage my gun." Jasmine sucked her teeth, her fingers running over her omni-tool as she picked apart the code. Her heart raced, despite the fact she'd been in this same position, hacking her way through traps, countless times before. Why was this any different?

 _Because he's inside. Jesus Christ, he traveled across the galaxy because he missed me. Or so he says. Don't … don't do that, Jasmine. He hasn't lied to me about anything else … as far as I know. He said he came to see me, so he came to see me. But why? Is it really me he missed, or just having someone around? I get it, living in seclusion the way he has … I'd be lonely, too. It'd been a lot cheaper and easier to just make a new friend on the Citadel. No, but that kiss. Mmm. He wanted it as much as I did; wanted me. So maybe stop talking to yourself and focus. He's in there right now, so hurry the hell up and get in there with him._

Jasmine bit her lip, grinning as her omni-tool gave her the all clear. Still, better safe than sorry. That seemed too easy. She scanned again, taking a deep breath and reactivating her cloak when the scan came back clear once more. Standing, she activated the door's release control, silently cursing the audible whoosh of the doors hydraulics, and stepped inside.

She paused just over the threshold, her eyes scanning the room even as she waited for something to blow up in her face. Light from an open door ahead of her on the right did little to illuminate the immediate area, but it gave her enough to make out the dark shapes of furniture. To her left, a dim light showed her what she suspected to be the kitchen entrance. When no traps went off, she let out a slow breath and stepped further inside; wincing as the door slid closed behind her.

She listened, her heart pounding in her chest, the roar of her pulse the only sound reaching her ears. Grinning, she took hesitant steps forward, pausing as her cloak dropped. She strained to listen again, catching the measured sounds of controlled breathing, heavy with exertion coming from the lit room. She closed her eyes and just listened for a second, her anticipation leaving a tremble in her limbs. Moving at a snail's pace, testing each step before she brought her foot down, she made her way to the wall, edging along it until she got close enough to peer around the edge of the door frame.

Thane rose and fell from view, half hidden by the foot of the bed. The scales of his bare back and shoulders caught the light in a rolling shimmer as his muscles bulged and moved beneath them. Biting down on her lip as she grinned, she fought back the urge to give voice to just how much she appreciated the sight of him, half-naked and on display. She activated her cloak once more, wanting to see how close she could get to him before it dropped again or she gave herself away. He stopped the second she stepped into the doorway, body low to the ground, biotics flaring to life to lick across his scales. He turned his head, looking right at her despite the cloak.

 _Damn._

Jasmine sighed, dropping the cloak and leaned against the door frame, a roguish smile sliding effortlessly into place. "Don't stop on my account; I'm enjoying the show."

Thane chuckled, letting his biotics fade as he pushed himself to his feet, moving to her. She met him halfway, hesitating only long enough for him to open his arms to her. Stepping into his embrace, she flung her arms around his neck, leaning into him completely. He wrapped his arms around her, his grip strong and earnest as he took a shuddering breath.

She clung to him, unwilling to let go for a few quiet, desperate moments, letting him wash away all of the stress and tension built up inside of her over the past couple of weeks. He'd found something in her; touched a raw and exposed nerve she'd fought for years to bury, pretend it simply didn't exist for her anymore. Then, just as he somehow managed to soothe the ache a little, accepting the parts of her he uncovered and showing her his own hurts, work ripped her away. She needed this, needed him, and as much as it scared the shit out of her, it felt like coming home.

Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath, pulling in his heady scent as she brought her hand around to rest her fingertips on his jaw and neck. She turned her head a little, letting her cheek brush across his, using the slightest pressure with her fingers in silent request. Thane turned his face to her, and she pressed her lips against his.

* * *

He held back, hesitant to lose himself in her as much as his heart demanded it of him. Afraid she'd flee from him again—and what it'd mean for any hope he had of them being together—he chastely held her lip between his. No matter how desperately he wanted to taste her, he didn't open his mouth to her, didn't let his tongue implore her lips to part for him. But they parted anyway, her tongue darting out to trace over his lip before nipping at him with her teeth, making the most interesting noise.

 _Amonkira, give me strength._

Thane pulled back, taking a steadying breath, his gaze searching hers out. Fire blazed in her eyes, wild and hungry; nearly more than he could take. He brought his hand to her face, brushing his thumb across her cheek. "Jasmine … are you certain?"

She smiled, her gaze dropping to his mouth as she urged him back to her. Grazing her teeth over his lip again, she pulled a strangled moan from his throat. "I'm sure," she whispered, covering his mouth with hers.

Her tongue pushed into his mouth, meeting his with the lingering taste of something tart and sweet. She pressed herself against him, the leather of her jacket smooth against his scales, shifting and parting as she moved her arms, giving way to the warmth of her body and softness of her curves, separated from him only by flimsy cloth. Her fingers danced over the ridges of his frills before following the curve of his neck to his shoulders, sliding down over his chest until stopping just above where their bodies met.

It's been so long since anyone touched him so intimately; each stroke of her tongue, every twitch of her fingers … memories of the feel of her bare skin beneath his fingertips rose up and he desperately wanted to touch more of her. He eased his hand along the edge of her jacket until he found where it ended, telling himself he'd just run his thumb beneath the hem of her shirt, and it'd be enough.

The second he made contact, Jasmine broke their kiss, her hands abandoning him, and he thought he'd done something wrong, gone too far. His heart sank, an apology forming on the tip of his tongue. Instead, she ducked her head beneath his chin, trailing her lips and tongue along his jaw and neck, scorching his frills with the heat of her mouth, sending fresh waves of raw lust through him. He groaned, his head falling back, exposing his throat to her; so consumed by the new sensations he failed to realize she'd pulled her arms free from her jacket until he felt it fall away to the floor.

"Touch me," she whispered in his ear, nuzzling against him.

How could he deny her? Thane slid his hand inside of her shirt, splaying his fingers out across the arch of her back; the skin there so warm and soft as he pulled her in closer to him. Her breath caught, coming out in a stutter as she wrapped her bare arms around him, fingers picking up where her tongue left off. Her mouth sought his once more with renewed fervor. He found her waist with his other hand, shifting her shirt up enough he felt a swath of her stomach, naked against his.

Losing the battle with his body, he felt his arousal growing, and soon, he wouldn't be able to hide it from her or convince himself anything less than all of her could ever be enough. Why should he hide his desire from her? Surely the hunger he felt from her wasn't mere imaginings. They were only a few steps from the bed. Admittedly, he knew little about what to do with her should they move to the bed—his knowledge of human anatomy being quite limited with how best to kill them—but what could be more natural than learning how to please one another together? No. It was far too soon. Wasn't it?

 _Of course._

Forcing himself to tear his lips away, he rested his forehead against hers, keeping his eyes closed as he struggled to bring the fire raging within him back under control. Jasmine whimpered, the pleading sound nearly undoing him. She tugged at him, leaning further into him, putting pressure in sensitive places, making it extremely difficult to think.

He groaned, bringing his hand from her waist to cup her face and opened his eyes. "Siha," he said, his voice coming out in a croak. "Please …." He caressed her cheek. "We shouldn't … I don't think …" He huffed, dismayed by his own lack of eloquence. " … there's only so much I can endure."

She chuckled, her chest rising and falling with panting breaths. Closing her eyes, she nodded her head against his before opening them again and tilting her head back to meet his gaze. "Okay." She pulled one of her hands from his neck to clasp his wrist, keeping his hand against her face. Taking a deep breath, she nodded once more. "Okay. Just give me a second?" She bit her lip, pushing her eyebrows up.

"Of course." He brushed his thumb across her cheek, tugging her lip free from her teeth, pulling a smile from her.

* * *

Jasmine laid her head on his shoulder, tucking her arms down between them and took a moment in his arms, soaking in his warmth before letting him go. Trailing her fingers over his chest as she stepped back, she glanced down at the three puckered, still healing, pale green scars cutting across his scales. The sight sucked the heat right out of her, stamping down the shameless ache of need between her legs.

She fought back the flash of panic, a senseless artifact from the night he nearly died in her arms, and sat down on the edge of the bed, putting his abdomen at eye level. Decidedly keeping her eyes above his waist—if he said he wasn't ready, he meant it; despite the, still considerable, bulge in his pants—she tugged at his hips until he stepped a little closer. She ran her fingers over the sleek scars, the lines now void of scales, but also any sign of infection as far as she saw. The wounds, completely closed, appeared to be healing as they should.

It struck her she never before thought a scar looked beautiful, but those scars did. She'd gotten to him in time, and _he lived_. She looked up, meeting his gaze. "Are you still in pain?"

"No, siha," he said, his voice still hoarse as he lifted a hand to her face. "The memories are … unpleasant, but I find they're coming less frequently." He trailed his fingertips over her cheekbone before sweeping them down along her jaw.

Grimacing, she sighed. "And here I am being an ass by reminding you. Sorry."

Thane chuckled, holding his hand out to her, pulling her back to her feet when she accepted. "I didn't think there'd ever be anyone to worry about me again." His hands settled on her waist. "It's endearing. I didn't realize it was something I missed. You needn't ever apologize for being concerned for me."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him, just one, quick peck before resting her forehead against his again. She took a deep breath and let it out slow, before running her hands down his chest. "Mmm. If I'm expected to behave myself, maybe the bedroom's not the best place for us right now." She took a step back, easing herself from his embrace and picking his vest up from the bed. Letting the leather garment dangle from her fingers, she held it out to him, flashing him a sly grin. "And maybe you should put this on."

Thane's lips twitched, and he let out a soft chuckle. He brushed the back of his thumb over his brow, taking the vest from her. She picked up her own jacket from the floor, moving back to the door, leaning against the frame as she watched him slide the vest on, his nimble fingers making short work of the zipper and buckles. When finished, he looked up, meeting her gaze, the light cutting through to show her a glimpse of tranquil green eyes.

"If you have time, I'll make us _cinuela_." He moved toward the door, stopping in front of her, his eyes moving back and forth as he studied her.

"Sounds wonderful," she said, turning to step out of the room and out of his way.

* * *

He smiled, reaching out to let his fingers brush the small of her back as he moved past her, fighting the temptation to pull her back into his arms. Turning on the lights as he went, he made his way to the kitchen, glancing over his shoulder every few seconds as if she might disappear if he didn't keep checking. She draped her jacket over the back of a chair, pulling it out before sitting down to watch him. He put on a pot of water before moving to the cabinets, pulling down first the canister of tea leaves and then the tea pot and cups.

"Your security is lacking," she said.

Thane looked up, smiling at her narrow-eyed glare. "I didn't want you to feel unwelcomed."

She snorted, leaning back in her chair. "So, how'd I mess up?"

He tilted his head to the side. "What do you mean?"

"How'd you know?" She quirked an eyebrow, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Ah." Moving to the table, he leaned over the back of a chair across from her. "Unfortunately, your cloaking device doesn't mask you completely. Not from drell, at least. Likely not from hanar, either."

"You still saw me?" Jasmine lifted her arm, looking down at the band on her wrist, running her fingers over the tactical cloak.

Pulling out the chair, he sat, more than happy to distract his mind from thoughts of the taste of her tongue in his mouth. "Not exactly, no. Drell are able to detect heat sources. In a crowd, it's likely I wouldn't have noticed, but somewhere otherwise empty …." He gestured at the apartment around them.

"My body heat stood out." Pursing her lips, she sucked her teeth. "The hanar, too?"

"No, humans emit small levels of bioluminescence." He waved his hand. "Although it did mask the majority, some seemed to—I suppose you'd say—leak through as you moved. It's likely those who developed the cloak considered the bioluminescence but haven't mastered hiding it completely." Hearing the water start to boil, he stood again, moving back to the stove to measure out the _cinuela_ , adding it to the water. "There is a medical procedure some drell have—I myself had it done—it helps us see the higher frequency levels of the hanar other species aren't able to detect. But any species would be able to see the slight distortion the cloak creates around you if observant enough."

Jasmine huffed. "Damn. Well, still better than nothing I guess."

"Indeed." He watched the color of the water change as the leaves softened, releasing their flavor. "Will Leon be looking for you?"

"Not for awhile. He left to stake out one of our targets, Amarala Myrasan." She hummed a little. "Her routine changed unexpectedly."

He glanced at her. "Do you think they've reason to suspect you?"

"I don't think so, but he's her problem at the moment, not mine." She smirked. "So, have you heard anymore about Kolyat?"

 _Kolyat. Will I ever get used to hearing someone else speak his name?_

Thane turned off the heat, leaving the tea to steep and joined her at the table again. "Indeed, I have." It warmed his heart to watch her face light up, hope dancing in her eyes for his sake. "I still haven't spoken with him, but Rone is working to ease him into the idea. I received a picture of Kolyat before I left the Citadel; quite the pleasant surprise." He looked down at his hands, turning his palms up and rubbing his fingertips together absently as the image of his son resurfaced in his mind. "I wanted so badly to be able to share it with you, but you already left and it'd be unwise for me to hold on to."

"I would've loved to have seen him, but I understand completely." She reached across the table, rubbing his bare forearm before pulling her hand back.

He met her gaze again, beaming with pride. "He's already changed so much, I barely recognized him. He's coming into his maturity, and I'm quite certain he'll one day leave me in his shadow." Propping his elbows on the table, he clasped his hands. "He's … magnificent."

Jasmine grinned, leaning forward to rest her chin on her palm. "You look so happy."

"I am," he said, dipping his head as he reached across the table, holding his hand out to her, "and I have you to thank."

She snorted, but met him halfway, putting her hand in his. "All I did was yell at you."

"No, siha, you've done far more than you think." He held her gaze, simply enjoying the moment.

"Okay, so I stalked you a little, too." She scraped her teeth over her lip and winked at him.

Thane chuckled as he stood. "Indeed." He made his way back into the kitchen to finish the _cinuela_ , pouring it into the teapot, then arranging it on the tray with the cups. Opening another cabinet, he took down the box of chocolates he bought for Jasmine and set them on the tray, too. "Would you prefer to sit in the living room?"

"Uh, yeah." She glanced over her shoulder toward the couch. "If you don't mind."

He picked up the tray. "Not at all." Carrying the tray to the living room, he settled it on the coffee table.

Jasmine followed him, sitting on the couch sideways, pulling a leg up to rest on the cushion, locking her ankle behind her other knee. "Is that …." She leaned forward, picking up the box of chocolates. "My, my. Have you decided to try and bribe me after all?"

Laughing while he poured the tea, he shook his head. "I just thought it'd be nice. I hope I found some you'll enjoy." He sat a cup down on a saucer in front of her. "They're made by asari, but I've seen other humans eat them." Sitting down with his own cup in hand, he watched her as she examined the package.

She opened the box, setting the lid on the table and after a moment of looking them over, chose one and bit into it, chewing slowly. Humming in approval, she held the box out to him. Pleased by her reaction, he chose one for himself without bothering to consider the different flavors. Eating the chocolate, he took a moment to savor the creamy outer layer before chewing, finding a thick nougat inside. He sipped from his cup, washing the candy down while Jasmine selected another, setting the box on the couch between them.

Thane took another drink and cleared his throat. "How are things?"

Jasmine blew out a heavy breath before popping a chocolate into her mouth. She tilted her head to the side as she chewed, seeming to consider his question. "Well … I did something that'll probably get me blacklisted at best, if I get caught."

He stilled, his blood running cold. Did she mean him? Did she put herself in danger coming to see him?

"There's something going on with him. I know there is. He picked this huge fight with me the other night, and then took off. Came back in the middle of the night with a broken nose, drunk off his ass. Brought the turian who broke his nose home with him, let the guy sleep on the couch." She pinched the bridge of her nose. "He kept talking about not knowing what he's doing here and saying he needs help, but I couldn't get him to tell me what the hell he meant."

He relaxed a little knowing she didn't mean her coming to see him, but still uneasy with the idea of her being in trouble. "What do you think he meant?"

She shook her head and lifted a shoulder. "I don't know. But I installed software on his omni-tool to gain access."

Blinking in surprise, he lifted his brow ridge. "You're spying on your handler?"

She picked up her tea cup. "Yep." Blowing over the top of her _cinuela_ , she met his gaze, her eyes filled with a curious mix of defiance and doubt.

He hesitated, choosing his words with care. "What have you uncovered?"

She rolled her eyes, waving her hand irritably, as if she could simply shoo away her frustrations. "Aside from the locations of six other Phantoms and their targets—information I'm _definitely_ not supposed to have—nothing."

He didn't know how things worked with the Alliance's Phantom division, but he knew what she just said … an assassin working within the Compact for the Illuminated Primacy who did the same would be considered to have committed a serious offense. Not every drell within the Compact worked as an assassin, but those who did were kept apart after their training. It was imperative for the safety not only of the assassins, but to maintain the secrecy of the Illuminated Primacy.

If someone were found to have information they weren't meant to, they'd spend the remainder of their lives in prison. They'd never be allowed to walk free, if someone captured them or they turned traitor, they held enough knowledge to start wars. Something told him the Alliance wouldn't be so kind, not quite so forgiving, and the thought made his blood run cold with fear for her.

 _Arashu, protect her._

"Oh don't look at me like that!" She rubbed her hand over her forehead. "I know it was stupid. God, I don't even know why I'm telling you this. It goes against everything." She picked up another piece of chocolate and sighed. "No offense, but for all I really know … our meeting might not have been a coincidence. This … " she said, waving her hand back and forth between them, the chocolate still pinched between her thumb and finger. She dropped her gaze, her voice coming out a mere whisper when she finished, saying, "This might all be a trick meant to get information from me." She swallowed hard, dropping the chocolate to her saucer.

Pain flared in his chest, stealing his breath. Fighting to keep his composure, Thane settled his teacup down on the saucer, setting it on the coffee table. He moved the box of chocolates to the table as well, before shifting to sit closer to her. "Jasmine." Easing her tea from her hands, he sat it on the table, taking her hands in his. "You don't ever need to tell me anything about your work. If you are concerned, I swear I'll never ask you anything about your work again—not where you are or who your targets might be—all I care about is you, having the privilege of knowing you. I _want_ you in my life, siha, and I haven't wanted _anyone_ in my life since Irikah died."

Her fingers tightened around his, easing the ache in his chest just a little. Leaning forward, she rested her forehead on his shoulder. "I know. I'm sorry. I'm just stressed and being stupid."

Letting go of one of her hands, he cradled the back of her head in his palm, turning his face to breathe in her scent, using it to center himself, steel himself for everything he needed to say. "The day you came to me for help removing the extranet post, you asked if we're friends."

Jasmine snorted, groaning softly, but she didn't speak.

"I told you then we are." Rubbing his thumb over the nape of her neck, he breathed her in again. "You have nothing to fear from me, and if there is ever anything you need, if you ever find yourself in trouble, I insist you come to me. No matter what it is." He pressed his lips to the side of her head. "I admit the word friend is … inadequate. Too simple of a word for what I feel for you, but I meant it, and I will always do whatever I can to aid you."

"Thank you." She shifted against him, fingers clinging to the buckles of his vest. "The same goes for you, you know? If you need anything."

They sat in silence for a moment. He thought about her words, taking comfort in the offer. He never had the opportunity to get close to many people in his life, and even more rarely did someone care enough about him to put themselves at risk for him. Jasmine already risked so much for him, though, how could he ever ask her to risk even more? The day they met, she lied to her employers about him. She followed him into Felton's estate. She took him to the hanar hospital and stayed there with him. Even being with him now, with her handler not far away, meant taking risks.

"Friend didn't exactly cover what I feel, either," she said, breaking the silence.

His heart skipped a beat. Oh, he had no lingering doubts she felt something more for him, but hearing her say it carried so much more weight. "I nearly kissed you that night, in your apartment …." Thane trailed off, remembering what it felt like to be so close to her for the first time, and how easily he'd been dissuaded from giving in to his desires.

"Why didn't you?" She turned her head, her face brushing across his as she nestled into the crook of his neck.

"I—some memories aren't so easily controlled." He swallowed against the knot building in his throat. "Particularly when strong emotions are involved."

Jasmine stilled against him before slowly pulling away, her gaze searching his out. "What did you remember?"

He looked away, needing a moment to find the courage to look her in the eyes while he told her he'd seen his dead wife when he thought about kissing her. Taking a slow, deep breath, he forced his gaze back to hers. "Not what, but who."

Eyes widening, she dropped her hand from his chest, pulling it to her lap but leaving the other in his hand. "Irikah." She pursed her lips and sucked in a breath. "Well that's awkward. Almost as awkward as my shoving my tongue down your throat the same night you told me about her."

Thane chuckled, his shoulders relaxing. "I wouldn't call it awkward." He grinned, looking back at her hand in his. "I've savored reliving that moment every day in your absence … and every night I fall asleep with you in my arms." Looking up, he found her chewing on her lip again, her eyebrows pulled in just a little. He tugged her lip free from her teeth, running his thumb over the delicate, swollen skin. "May I ask you something about that night?"

She nodded, her gaze holding his.

He searched her face as if he might find his answers there and not have to ask her at all, but nothing was ever so simple. "Why were you crying? Did I do something wrong?"

"No," she said, shaking her head. Jasmine put her hand on his, turning to kiss his palm. "You didn't do anything wrong." She folded her fingers around his hand, bringing it down to her lap and pulling the other over, too. Taking a deep breath, she smiled. "I got overwhelmed, is all. My emotions were already running high, and then your venom …." She hesitated, her mouth open, a slight croak escaping her lips. "I couldn't be sure if I kissed you because _I_ wanted to … or if my addiction wanted me to. There's nothing like being a recovered addict to make you doubt your own intentions."

"I see." His heart sank, leaving a cold, empty spot in his chest as he realized his physiology would always be a barrier between them, an obstacle they'd never overcome. "And now?"

She snorted. "Well, I took the supplements before coming over. I'm not high right now, and I still want to kiss you." She grinned, winking at him, squeezing his hands. "I was being stupid. Self-loathing: it's a human specialty."

"Ah. I regret to say, humans aren't the only ones." He shook his head. "I spent these last years since Irikah's death punishing myself. I had terrible dreams that night, after leaving your apartment." He paused, taking a cleansing breath, pushing the memories away, letting himself detach for the moment. He needed to be able to tell Jasmine about the dream without being swept away by the nightmares again. "Dreams of Irikah taunting me from beyond the grave, reminding me I am at fault for her death … for leaving our son."

She winced, her fingers tightening around his. Her lips parted as if to speak, but there was still more he needed to tell her and if he let her speak now, he might not find the strength to continue.

"She told me you'd never …" He paused, considering his words. Love. Irikah said love, but he couldn't repeat that to Jasmine; not now. He refused to presume to know what precisely her heart spoke to her, and as much as he wanted to share with her the depth of his feelings, it hardly felt like the appropriate way to tell her he loved her. " … care for me; you'd learn of her and Kolyat and never forgive me. She said my—she said I'm poison … and I'd kill you, too."

"Oh, Jesus." She brought a hand to her mouth. "That sounds like one hell of a nightmare. But you know it's not true, don't you? Okay, yeah, I got really upset and left when you first told me about Kolyat, but I came back. I came back because I _do_ care about you."

He smiled, his heart warming, pushing back the shadows settling over him while he talked about the night he nearly went to the sea. Just hearing her insist she cared meant everything to him. "And I you." He shook his head. "At the time, however … her words felt real. When I awoke, I took a walk hoping to clear my head. Instead, I ran across a man attacking an asari and chose to intervene." He waved a hand. "She escaped unharmed, but armed with a knife, the man attacked me. I tried to defend myself, of course, but all I saw was Irikah's face, distorted by death; her hand wielded the blade. I was … unsuccessful."

Blinking back tears, Jasmine sniffed. "God, we're both pretty fucked up aren't we? Hopeless."

"Hopeless? No, siha. You didn't just wake me from my battle sleep despite myself, but you have given me hope." He reached out, brushing his fingers over her cheek, wiping away a stray tear. "Given my heart reason to beat, given me back a reason to live. Jasmine, if you'll have me, I am yours."

* * *

She gave him a lopsided grin, scrubbing her hands over her face. "You're so dramatic." Reaching out, she grabbed ahold of his vest, her fingers slipping between softened leather and warm scales as she used it to pull him to her. "Come here." With her heart slamming against her ribs, she pressed her lips to his before pulling away to whisper, "I'll have you."

Thane beamed at her, his smile lighting up his entire face. His hand cupping her face, he tilted her head up before his mouth crushed down on hers, urgent and filled with more passion than she'd ever felt directed at her in her life. It swallowed her whole, seeping down into her pores, wrapping itself around her heart and binding her to him irrevocably. Leaning into him, she returned his kiss with everything she had, letting everything she felt flow back into him.

 _Oh God, I love you._

And still she heard a small voice in the back of her head telling her not to; not to love, not to trust. Too late, though. She didn't know exactly when it happened, but there it was, like a blazing beacon flaring to life inside of her, and she couldn't deny it anymore. She loved him, and wanted nothing more than to stay there with him forever, but then he pulled away, leaving her breathless and confused.

She opened her eyes to see him watching her, his brow pulled in tight. She swallowed, the butterflies in her stomach morphing into a knot of writhing snakes. "What's wrong?"

"There's something more I need to tell you, something I should have already told you." His hand slid away from her face, the air chilling her in the absence of his warmth. "Forgive me, I didn't intend to hide it from you, there's just been so much that's happened."

"What is it?" Jasmine licked her lips, pulling up a mask of calm to shield herself with, but instead clinging to it like a life raft. She finally accepted her love for him, given him her heart, and now he was going to rip it from her chest.

"I'm sick, siha." Thane's features shifted, smoothing out, his voice steady despite his words as if he just pulled his own mask into place. "I've suspected for awhile, but the doctors confirmed my illness while in the hospital. My lungs are damaged. It's something many drell experience, we've still not adapted to living in more humid environments … if not treated, it will likely develop into a fatal disease called Kepral's Syndrome, for which there is no cure."

 _Fatal._

Jasmine felt cold and strangely, completely calm.

 _He said fatal._

She turned, dropping her foot to the floor and leaning back against the couch. She knew the cushions had to be there—something stopped her collapse—but she didn't feel them. Some distant part of her mind told her she'd felt this before, once long ago when she found her mother dead in a pool of her own blood on the bathroom floor. The EMT and doctors called it shock. She saw him reach out for her in her peripherals, but he didn't make contact, letting his hand drop to his lap instead.

"What treatments will be required will depend on how much damage has already been done, exactly. The hospital on the Citadel didn't have the equipment necessary to do complete scans." He waved his hand, gesturing at nothing in particular. "Few drell pass through the Citadel."

She turned her head to look at him, emotions creeping back in around the edges of her consciousness, leaving her cold and deflated. Wrapping her arms around herself, she rubbed her arms, trying to work some warmth back into herself. "They can't help you there either, then?"

He shook his head. "No. If I'm to receive treatment … I'll need to return to Kahje."

Her eyebrows twitched, her hands stilling. "If?"

"I will go, siha. You have my word. I only wanted a little more time with you before." Thane smiled, a sad, pleading lift of the corners of his mouth. "If you'll still have me."

Jasmine sighed, scooting closer until she curled up against his side. "Come on, you know you can't get rid of me so easily."


	22. Mailo T'Erus

**Mailo T'Erus**

" _Leon, you need to call me. We need to talk about dad. It's not fair to leave him like this, you know it isn't. I can't make this decision without you, please don't make me. You should be here, he's your father, too. I need you, Leon. Please call."_

Jasmine read over the message and the attached medical report six times, each time the solid knot of ice in the pit of her stomach growing bigger and bigger. The name associated with the extranet address read Astrid Solomon; the name on the medical report: Jasser Solomon. The politician whose failed assassination attempt landed her on Illium with Leon and a list of targets. And Astrid said Jasser was Leon's father. His goddamn father. How? Leon's last name wasn't Solomon, but that didn't mean much. The Alliance would never put him on this job, not with his father involved. It couldn't be his father.

 _Unless they don't know it's his father, and he didn't tell them._ _Or … they_ didn't _put him on the job. Jesus Christ. Oh dear God, please, please, please tell me these hits were sanctioned._

She threw the covers off and jumped from her bed. Pulling on her robe, she slammed her hand against the door's release control. Rushing down the hall to Leon's room, only to stop and pace in front of the closed door, she ran her hands through her hair, pushing it away from her face and pinning it there on top of her head.

 _Jesus fuck._

Her jangled nerves felt like fire ants swarming under her skin. She dropped her hands, shaking them at her sides. She took a deep breath. "Shit." Lifting her hand, she knocked on the door.

A moment later, the door slid open. Leon stood there clad in nothing but his pajama bottoms, sleep clouding his eyes. Lifting an arm, he braced his elbow against the doorframe, using his other hand to rub his face. "What's wrong?"

"We need to talk." Jasmine crossed her arms over her chest, pulling her robe tighter around her.

"Now?" He glanced over his shoulder. "Christ, love, it's two in the morning. Can't it wait?"

"No, Leon," she said, shaking her head, "it really can't. Why didn't you tell me Jasser Solomon is your father?"

The corner of his mouth ticked up, and he scoffed. "What makes you think he's my father?"

"Don't bullshit me, Leon. Not now." She adjusted her arms, squaring her shoulders.

Opening his omni-tool, he frowned, his fingers running over the keys. His jaw clenched, his gaze cold and hard when it found hers again. "Are you … are you _spying_ on me? On _me_? Are you fucking kidding me right now, Jasmine?"

"That's not what's important. He's your father, Leon! _Your father_!" Her voice rose despite her best intentions, and she threw her hands up in the air. "Does the Alliance know about this? Why would they send you after the people responsible for trying to kill your _father_? _Did_ they send you?"

Leon took a step forward, moving into the doorway. "Jasmine … calm down. I can explain." He reached out, trying to put his hand on her arm.

She jerked away, glaring at him, dumping every ounce of anger and fear she felt into her gaze. "Don't touch me." Pacing away from him, she shook her head before turning to face him again. "You'd better be able to explain, and you better make it good. I can't _believe_ you brought me here without telling me this."

He pinched the bridge of his nose, groaning, spreading his thumb and fingers out to rub at his eyes. Dropping his hand, he slapped his thigh before gesturing out at the living room. Jasmine snorted, making her way to the kitchen instead. Leon followed her; she felt his gaze on her while she searched the refrigerator, pulling out a bottle of Blue Thessia. She opened a cabinet, pulling down two glasses before carrying everything over to the dining room table.

Sitting down, she poured them both a drink, sliding his glass across the table. "I'm listening."

Leon blew out a loud breath, moving around to the other side of the table. He picked up the glass and took a heavy swallow before pulling out the chair and sitting down. "When they sent me the dossiers … I couldn't tell them, Jasmine. I couldn't. I changed my name when I turned eighteen. I didn't want to be associated with my father, I wanted to make a name for myself. Then when I started the Phantom program, I made sure to keep it that way, to protect my father. So my career choices would never affect his." He took another drink then sat the glass down, propping his elbows on the table to hold his head in his hands. "They don't know he's my father. Sure, you go high enough up the chain and it's in a file somewhere, but it's not common knowledge. Being chosen for the job was chance. Random, lucky, fucking chance."

Jasmine drained her glass, barely letting herself taste the bittersweetness, or feel the burn of the alcohol as it slid down her throat. She poured herself another. "You're too close to this, Leon. You should've told them, and you know it. When they find out—"

"They're not going to find out. And if they do, it's all on me. You don't need to worry about it, it'll be my career on the line, not yours. I'm your handler, I assigned you to help me with the job. You're just following orders." He scoffed, rubbing his hands over his face. "How could I, Jasmine? How could I turn away the opportunity to take down the people who did this to my dad? Could you? Could you really? What if it were Geoffrey?"

Jasmine hissed, sucking in a deep breath and letting it out slow. "For fuck's sake, Leon. You have to know this is going to come back to bite you in the ass. Why am I even here? Why pull me into this shit? You don't _need_ me here."

He sighed, leaning back in his chair, pulling his glass along with him. "But I do, love."

Scoffing, she rolled her eyes. "Like hell. You can do this job on your own, and we both know it."

"Yeah. Yeah, I can." He took a sip before staring down at his glass, his voice low and soft when he said, "I still need you here, Jasmine. Whatever you think of me … however I fucked up … I still need you here." He pursed his lips, a habit she felt fairly certain he picked up from her. "I wanted to tell you. I would've told you, but you weren't as … receptive to me as I'd hoped, and I just didn't know where we stood anymore. I didn't know if it would be a good idea."

Jasmine swallowed, forcing down the knot in her throat right along with the ache in her chest. "You should've told me …."

"Well, you know now." Leon looked up, holding her gaze, tears as real as anything she'd ever seen in his eyes. "They tried to kill him, Jasmine. They … they did kill him, he just isn't dead yet." Tilting his head back, he closed his eyes and swallowed, his adam's apple bobbing up and down in his throat. "He's a good man; he was trying to do the right thing, trying to help people, and they killed him for it." He squeezed his eyes closed, scrubbing at them with his palm before looking at her again. "What are you going to do?"

Jasmine stared at him for a moment before taking a deep breath. She couldn't do it; look him in the eye and tell him she wouldn't help him. Solomon was his father, and it might've been far worse. It wasn't like the Alliance hadn't marked the targets, and it made sense for them to, Solomon being a high profile man and all. And she couldn't honestly say if it _were_ Geoffrey …. "Fuck. Alright. We do this by the book, though. We leave nothing, and I mean nothing, to ever give them a reason to review this job once we're done." She leaned forward, pressing her index finger to the surface of the table. "And so help me God, if your relationship does come to light, you'd better be ready to fight tooth and nail to save my ass."

Leon nodded, leaning forward to set his glass down, resting his hands on the table. "Of course. Of course. I promise, it'll all be on me."

She stood, draining her glass again before carrying it to the kitchen. Gripping the edge of the sink, she hung her head down between her shoulders. She looked up when she heard Leon move, seeing him pick up the bottle of Blue Thessia and his glass before following her to the kitchen.

He put the bottle back in the refrigerator and sat his glass on the counter, leaning against it a half meter away from her. "Thank you, Jasmine. I know it sounds stupid to say, but this really means a lot to me, I won't forget, I swear."

"Yeah." She pushed away from the sink, moving to walk past him before stopping. Looking up at him, she reached out, her fingers hesitating only a second before she put her hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry about your dad."

* * *

Jasmine glanced up from her breakfast, catching Leon's gaze across the table. "Christ, I didn't even know you had a sister. You should call her."

"You'd like Astrid," Leon said, lifting his shoulder and rocking his head side to side. "Mmm. Or maybe hate her." He lifted a forkful of scrambled egg to his mouth, smiling as he chewed, talking around his food. "She's a lot like you. Bossy and hot-headed."

"I'm not hot-headed." She narrowed her eyes, fighting back a smile. "And I'm only bossy because you're such a child."

He washed his eggs down with a gulp of juice and winked at her. "Whatever you need to tell yourself, love."

She snorted, but grinned despite herself. Their talk the night before seemed to have been cathartic for him. He'd gotten up before her and made breakfast, nice and greasy, just the way she liked it. The tight lines in his forehead—brought on from his constant scowl thanks to their big fight—vanished overnight. He seemed relaxed, relieved, even jovial as he set the table; flashing her his award-winning smile.

"It's selfish, I know, but I don't want to talk to her until I can look her in the eye and tell her the people who did this to dad paid for what they did." He pushed his breakfast around with his fork. "I want my dad to know, too, before we let him go."

Her eyebrows twitched. "They know what you do?" She didn't expect it from him, not after how ardently he warned her against letting those close to her know the truth. For most, everyone but Geoffrey to be exact, thought Jasmine got discharged from the Alliance; thought she just wasn't up to snuff. Since then she'd just been galavanting around the galaxy doing whatever small jobs available to support herself. She wasn't sure, but she thought Karin might think she was a spy, which was just a little closer to the truth than what Jasmine liked. Karin never said anything, of course, and she never would.

He shook his head, pausing with his fork halfway to his mouth. "God, no." He frowned, exaggerating it as he pulled his brows down low. "You know me better than that, love. Astrid thinks I left the Alliance to become a mercenary." Dropping his faux-frown, his features relaxed, shifting into something easier, giving her a hint of the man she fell for years ago and not the complete dickhead who picked her up on the Citadel. "I haven't bothered to correct her."

Jasmine snorted, turning her attention back to her plate. "Your dad … he's not suffering, not in pain from what I saw. So … maybe it's not so selfish." She glanced at him, just a quick flicker of her eyes. "I get it, if this gets you closure, then I get it. I never really got closure with my parents."

"Can I ask you something?" he asked, his tone sober and wary.

She stopped eating, laying her fork down on the edge of her plate. "What?"

"If things didn't go the way they did when you were a kid—your parents dying and everything—do you think you still would've enlisted? Still ended up signing on with the Phantoms?" His gaze bore into her, searching her, but for what she didn't know.

"No," she said, unable to keep the sadness from creeping into her voice. "I wanted to be a doctor." She forced a smile on her face. "I wanted to save people, not kill them. But, who knows? How many people actually become what they wanted to be at six? Maybe I'd have ended up being a lawyer. Or a cop. Or just bagging groceries and living in my parent's basement for the rest of my life." Snorting, she picked up her fork again. "Maybe I would've just married someone with loads of credits and never had to work a day in my life."

She looked up to see Leon watching her, an odd sort of smile on his face. "What?"

He smirked, shaking his head. "Nothing, love. So," he said, clearing his throat and opening his omni-tool, "I think we have what we need. RetCorp will be having a staff meeting day after tomorrow. I've looked at the roster, and all of our targets will be there. Same room, same time."

"Yeah, but who else will be there?" Jasmine lifted her fork to her mouth, chewing while she watched him.

He pursed his lips, running his fingers over his omni-tool. "About forty other people. Secretaries, treasurers," he said with a shrug, "it's a staff meeting."

"Exactly. Too many variables. Too many potential witnesses, or people to get caught in the crossfire." She swallowed, taking a drink of her juice.

"Jasmine … we won't get another opportunity like this. With all of them in one location at the same time." He shifted in his chair, leaning forward against the table. "I don't like collateral damage, either, you know that. I wouldn't risk it if I wasn't confident we can pull this off without anyone else getting hurt."

"No." She lifted more scrambled eggs to her mouth.

Leon laughed, arching his eyebrows. "No?"

"It's too risky, and we agreed we need to handle this one with care." She lifted her own eyebrows, daring him to argue.

"Alright." He sighed, leaning back in his chair, running his fingers over his omni-tool again. A three dimensional hologram of RetCorp's blueprints popped up and he pointed at an office on the top floor. "We'll wait until the meeting ends, and start at the top, work our way down. If we go in before the meeting ends, we'll have a better chance of not being seen while we get into the meeting is over, there'll be enough confusion in the halls as people make their way back to their own offices, the elevators will be tied up—it's the next best time to make our move. There's still risk, but if we're going to hit six different locations inside of RetCorp, we need the distraction."

"Do we really need to do this inside of RetCorp, though? We know our targets habits, we know where they live." She lifted her shoulder. "None of them live very far from RetCorp. I don't see any real reason why we can't do this in their homes. Go in at night."

"We've already cased RetCorp, Jasmine. We know what security measures they take, where the cameras are, where the guards are … we haven't really cased their houses." He shook his head. "We'll move quicker with everyone in the same building, and we agreed timing is imperative."

She took a deep breath and nodded. "Okay. We hit RetCorp." She leaned forward, pointing out the offices as she spoke. "Mailo T'Erus, Kesyr Atela, Ren'Shala D'Lar, Falie Janisir, Amarala Myrasan, and Nassia Makio."

* * *

Thane ran his hand down Jasmine's ponytail, pulling a lock of her hair over her shoulder and closer to his nose to inhale the new scent. "Your hair smells different, like mint and something floral."

She chuckled, tugging at the edges of his jacket. "It's not easy to find shampoo and conditioner on Illium. I ran out of what I brought with me and had to go with what I could find." She glanced down, sliding her hands along his ribs, between his vest and jacket. "Now, if you're done sniffing my hair; I skipped lunch to come see you, the least you can do is feed me. I'm starving."

Letting her hair slip through his fingers, he grinned. He hooked a knuckle under her chin, tilting her head up, watching the light dance in her rainforest eyes. "I certainly can't allow you to starve." He brushed his lips against hers; soft, warm, and inviting. It'd be so easy to lose himself in her again, craving the feel of her tongue against his, but he controlled the urge, returning his gaze to hers instead. "What are you in the mood for?"

Jasmine pushed her hands further around him, lowering them to his waist. One hand brushed over and past the sheath of his dagger secured at his back—something that would normally have him moving to strike, but instead he stilled beneath her touch—her other hand raising a little higher to avoid his gun before joining at the low of his back, fingers threading together to pull him closer. She smiled, scraping her teeth over her lip, arching an eyebrow. "You mean besides you?"

He stopped breathing. He didn't mean to, but he did; the thing inside of him that wanted nothing more than to strip her of her clothes and taste every part of her body roaring to life inside of him.

Her smile grew, teasing and cajoling. "Huh. I think I like this reaction even better than the other one." She pulled her arms back, taking his hands in hers and squeezed. "Breathe, Thane. I'm only playing." She let go of one of his hands, turning toward the kitchen, pulling him along behind her. "Let's go raid your refrigerator."

Licking his lips, he swallowed back the urge to tug her back to him and give into his desires. The years spent alone only added fuel to the fire, but he wouldn't let it make decisions for him. "As you wish." He followed her into the kitchen, leaning against the counter to watch her as she began making her selections from the refrigerator, choosing much the same as he offered her the night she showed up at his door, distraught after completing a job exposing her to red sand.

He opened a cabinet, setting out plates for her before filling glasses with fruit infused water from a pitcher he kept in the refrigerator. "I want to ask you … for a favor."

Jasmine glanced up from where she arranged food on the plates, her eyebrow arched in question but remained silent, waiting for him to continue.

Thane put the water pitcher back before turning to her, resting his hand on the small of her back simply because he could and it felt wonderful. "I've learned what it is Nevas is so afraid of at RetCorp; what's keeping her there."

She stopped, abandoning her work on the plates and turned to lean a hip against the counter. "How bad is it?"

He pulled his hand away, tucking them both behind his back. "Beyond the contract she signed when she agreed to employment, they have condemning information about her mother. It seems RetCorp likes to insure their contracts with potential blackmail."

Jasmine's eyebrows twitched. "What do you need me to do?"

"I have an OSD prepared to remove all traces of Nevas' contract and the information they have on her mother, as well as several other employees at random to avoid suspicion being pointed immediately at Nevas. It will give her a chance to relocate." He waved his hand. "It should appear as if their system simply contracted a virus. It only needs to be inserted into their main computer system, and will take less than a minute to do what it needs to do." He held her gaze waving again, finding himself uncomfortable with the idea of asking her for a favor, but pleased she seemed willing to help. "It's nothing I can't handle, but I don't wish to draw any undue attention which might jeopardize your work. Once you've removed your targets, they'll likely boost security and getting in and out of RetCorp undetected will be more difficult."

"She knows you're doing this?" Jasmine raised her eyebrows when Thane dipped his head. "And she's prepared to leave Illium? What'd you tell her?"

"She is, and I only told her I could get rid of the problem if she wanted." He tucked his hands behind his back. "She asked surprisingly few questions, insisting she didn't want to know the details."

Jasmine held out her hand, wiggling her fingers. "Give it to me, if I have the opportunity while I'm in there, I'll take care of it."

"Thank you, siha. I'll get it for you." He smiled, dipping his head.

She grabbed his jacket, pulling him closer before kissing him. She let him go, turning back to the plates. "Of course."

He made his way to his desk where he kept a small safe, requiring a retinal scan, and opened it, retrieving the OSD. He returned to find her setting the table, seating them at the corner where they'd be close, but still facing one another. She glanced up at him, smiling as she sat down. Using her foot to push his chair out, she took the OSD from him when he offered it to her, tucking it away in her jacket hanging over the back of her chair.

Thane sat down, scooting his chair in a little closer and rested his forearms on the table. "How are things? You seem … less tense today."

"Do I?" She raised an eyebrow, lifting her glass to her lips.

He picked up his fork, spearing a piece of _mahata_. "Indeed."

"Hmmm. Well, I figured out what's going on with Leon last night. We talked through some things, and even though I think he's making a mistake, I get it and … and things are going to be alright." She leaned back in her chair, her gaze roaming over him, her lips lifting in a lazy smile. "And, I'm here with you." Chuckling, she gave a bemused shake of her head. "I still can't believe you came to Illium for me. I mean, I know money isn't an issue for you, and it's not like you left a permanent home or career behind, but still."

He smiled, pleased his actions—actions that seemed so necessary to him—impressed her as much as they did. "I missed you. I wanted to see you, to talk to you …" he said, reaching out to trace the path of her radius from just inside her elbow all the way down to her wrist before taking her hand, still amazed she allowed him to do so, "to touch you. Is it really so surprising for me to follow you here?"

"Honestly?" She chuckled, brushing her thumb across the back of his hand. "A little. Maybe it's just because I don't really have the same level of freedom."

"Surely you have some freedom; some say. You were on the Citadel for months, or is it common practice for them to leave you in one location for so long?" He eased his hand from hers, returning to his meal while he awaited her answer.

She snorted and shook her head. "My request to stay on the Citadel was only granted because they happen to have an Alliance training facility I said I wanted to put to use, and Leon knew I'd taken a recent failure very personally." Grinning, she scraped her teeth over her lip. "I won't be able to play the same card again anytime soon, no matter how badly I might want to stick around to stalk some sexy drell who wounded my pride."

Thane grinned, his frills warming. He cleared his throat, picking at his plate. "It really wasn't ever my intention, but I can't deny I'm pleased with the results."

Jasmine swallowed her bite of food, shaking her head. She held up a hand, taking a sip of water. "Uh uh, don't think this," she said, waving her hand back and forth between the two of them, "changes anything. I'm still going to kick your ass."

He laughed, his shoulders shaking with his mirth. "And to think I considered telling you I'd underestimated your skill, and indeed have come to understand in some areas, you already surpass me … but if you insist, I look forward to your attempt."

She propped an elbow on the table, leaning forward to rest her chin on her palm. "Tell me anyway."

"Why should I? You want to 'kick my ass.'" He hid his smirk with his glass.

She rolled her eyes, the corners of her lips twitching. "Because I'm pretty."

He put down his fork, resting his elbows on the table, clasping his hands together in front of him. "Siha, _you_ _are beautiful_. Completely stunning. When I laid eyes on you in the ballroom the other night, you took my breath away." He smiled as the blush spread out over her cheeks. "I underestimated you when we first met, and I have seen your skills grow over the last few months." Shaking his head, he let his smile shift back to a playful smirk. "But you still can't best me."

She laughed, her head tilting back. As much as the sound delighted him, he found he was more interested in knowing what sound she'd make if he ran his tongue over her exposed throat, the memories of her doing the very same thing to him bringing heat to his frills. Her laughter subsided and she returned her attention to him, whatever she saw in that moment gave her pause. Pushing back her chair, she stood.

Curious, he tracked her movements as she approached him, the glint in her eyes stoking the fires inside of him. Jasmine ran her hand over his shoulder, dragging her fingers across his back as she paced around him, stopping behind his chair. He turned to look up at her as she grabbed the back of his chair, pulling it, and him along with it, away from the table. She smiled, running her fingers along his other shoulder as she moved to stand in front of him.

"I don't want to rush you," she said, leaning over him, putting her mouth next to his ear to whisper. "But I can't see you look at me like _that_ and just ignore it." Tracing his jaw with her fingertips, she brought her lips to his. Slow and soft, she ran her tongue over his bottom lip before pulling back to meet his gaze. "So … you'll have to tell me if it gets to be too much."

Heart pounding in his chest, heat coursing through his veins, Thane swallowed. He took her face in his hand, pulling her back to him, his mouth covering hers, his tongue parting her lips with greed. She shifted her weight, moving her legs until she stood over him, her legs pressing against his knees. He wanted to know, needed to know … he pulled his lips away from hers, using his thumb to tilt her chin up, giving him access to her neck. His tongue found her pulse, and she gasped, her breath staying locked inside of her chest a moment before rushing out in a throaty moan.

She rolled her head to the side, her knees bending, bringing her closer to him. He reached out, sliding his hand along her thigh, feeling her pulse quicken beneath his lips as he closed his fingers around her hip, pulling her down to his lap. She started to scoot forward, making her way further up his thighs, but stopped when he tightened his grip, urging her to stay in place, sitting on his knees.

He slid his hand back, cradling her head, his thumb brushing back and forth along her jaw as he trailed his tongue over her neck. Stopping at the base of her throat, he pressed his lips to the dip in her skin—struggling to ignore the part of his brain supplying the name suprasternal notch. A place where, if he struck, he'd damage her trachea, rendering her unconscious, or if hit hard enough, cause her to die by asphyxiation.

She hummed in approval, silencing the voice more effectively than his own attempts. She reached behind her; a moment later her hair fell free, enveloping his hand and filling the air around them with its new scent. The pleasing aroma of mint and flowers wasn't the smell he'd come to associate with his siha, but it'd forever be etched into his mind along with the taste of ocean on her smooth skin, the sound of her moans, and the feel of her fingers, kneading his neck and shoulder.

Her hand covered his, and she tugged. He let her move his hand, guiding it to the base of her skull, hair sliding through his fingers like strands of silk. Pushing in on his fingertips, she urged them to curl in, capturing her hair in his fist.

"Tighter." She squeezed his hand, her voice coming out barely above a whisper, sounding dry and strained as she shared a new part of herself with him … teaching him, and it filled him with an eagerness to learn.

With as much control as he could manage, he slowly tightened his fist, letting his fingers pull her hair taut until she groaned with pleasure. He willed his muscles to remember the exact amount of pressure he needed to elicit the sound from her. She let go of his hand, moving hers to the back of his head, weaving her fingers through his crest. Tugging at him, until he lifted his face from her neck, she covered his mouth, her tongue diving in to meet his.

Oh, sweet Arashu, he loved her and he wanted her. He wanted all of her, but he'd wait. He needed to wait, he needed to be sure; not sure he loved her, because he had no doubts, but sure that when the time came … it wouldn't be Irikah's face he saw when he made love to Jasmine. What would it do to her? What would it do to him?

She broke the kiss, pulling away from him, and he loosened his grip on her hair. Her chest heaved, her gaze locked on his. Bringing her hand around to cup his face, her fingers brushed over his cheek. "You alright?"

He smiled, running his fingers through her hair, brushing it away from her face. "I … I love you, Jasmine."

Her fingers stopped moving, and she grew very, very still. She didn't speak … didn't breathe. His heart thumped against his ribs, the ache flaring to life in his chest. Smile fading, he brushed back her hair again.

"Siha, I—"

"I love you, too." She took a deep, shuddering breath, sweeping her thumb down over his cheek before crushing her lips to his once more.


	23. Nassia Makio

**Nassia Makio**

Jasmine studied the asari's face, taking in her pale blue complexion, speckles of lavender creeping in over her crest. Nassia Makio wore a stripe of violet just under her lower lip, trailing down her chin. The spark in her eyes and the smile on her face made her look so kind; making it much more difficult for Jasmine to imagine putting a bullet in her head. But she forced herself to do exactly that, to imagine the kill over and over again until she knew there'd be no hesitation. She'd see Makio's face, she'd line up her shot, and she'd pull the trigger without a second thought.

 _He said he loves me. That's … that's huge. How is sex rushing things, but not 'I love you'?_

Makio, Janisir, and D'Lar—she insisted on D'Lar—would be her targets while Leon focused on the other three. Makio would be first, though. Her office was located at the top, right next to Atela's. Jasmine got only a passing glimpse at the office during their tour of the facility, but it gave her all she needed. She knew where the location of the door in relation to the asari's desk, and she knew there were windows—both exterior and interior.

 _I told him I love him, too. Jesus Christ, this is happening really fast. I mean … love, really? Okay, yeah, I've felt it and … but to be saying it to each other already. That's big. Isn't it? Fuck what do I know? All I have to go on for relationships is Leon, and if he's my standard …._

Her omni-tool pinged, vibrating against her wrist and drawing her from her kill contemplations—and the thoughts of Thane insisting on intruding in on her work. Jasmine closed the dossier and glanced at the incoming call, a smile spreading across her face when she recognized Rift's number. Looking over her shoulder at Leon, finding him still sitting on the couch lost in his own work, she closed her laptop and took it with her to her room.

With the door closed and locked behind her, she answered the call, her smile growing when she saw Rift's face pop up on her screen. She found it funny how the face of one little boy could so easily chase all of her troubles away, at least for the time being. "Hey, kiddo. What's up?" She sat down on her bed, throwing her feet up and leaning back against her pillows, starting to relax even with Leon in the next room.

"Hi, Jasmine." The corners of his mouth drooped, and she thought she might see the makings of tears in his eyes.

Instantly, her muscles tensed, adrenaline dumping into her system as she sat back up on the edge of the bed, her mind already rushing through the possibilities. "What's wrong? What happened?"

"I got grounded." He sniffed, tears definitely welling up in his eyes. "It's not fair!"

Letting out a heavy breath, she leaned back against the pillows again, both disturbed and amazed by the tumult of emotions Rift so easily pulled from her. "Why'd you get grounded?"

Rift rubbed at his eyes. "Because I got in a fight."

"How'd that happen?" Jasmine arched an eyebrow, unsure of how a normal person would respond to such news from a child. She tried to think back to her own childhood. Did she get into fights before her father left and her mother died? She sure as hell did out on the streets, but she didn't exactly have a respectable role model around to frown at her and shake their finger in her face.

He huffed, his face screwing up as more tears rolled down his cheeks. "I hit a boy because he was being mean to Sammy."

 _Sammy? Wow, is Samantha going by Sammy now? How long has it been since I've talked to the girls? Two years? Three? God I suck._

"What was he doing to Sammy?" Her eyebrows climbed further up her face, her jaw starting to tighten as she thought about little Samantha being bullied.

"He called her a baby because she didn't want to climb the tree, and then he said everyone in the Williams family are cowards. Sammy started crying, so I hit him." Rift sniffed, rubbing his eyes again. "Mom saw me do it and came outside, she was angry and made me and Sammy come inside. When Dad got home, she told him about it, and he said I'm grounded for a week. I can't go outside and play with any of my friends, and I can't watch any vids or play any games or _anything_."

Jasmine swelled with pride, despite herself. She knew she shouldn't condone violence, but she had to admit she liked knowing the little guy stood up for his new big sister. It took everything she had not to grin at him like an idiot. She took a deep breath, willing her voice to sound sympathetic but not approving. "Did he tell you why you're grounded?"

The red-faced little boy nodded, his face starting to screw up again, his voice high and whiny when he responded, "Because we're not supposed to ever hit first. We only use force when it's being used against us or someone else."

Jasmine closed her eyes, nodding her head, remembering a time when Geoffrey used deadly force to protect her. Opening her eyes again, she gave him a soft smile. "You know that dad of yours is a smart man, and he's trying to make sure you grow up to be a smart man, too."

There was a knock at her door, Leon's voice carrying through the metal. "Can I come in, love?"

"Hold on a second, Rift, okay? And uh, don't say anything about Sere Krios, alright?" she all but whispered at the screen.

Rift sniffled, nodding his head. She left the bed, and opened the door, keeping her arm up so her omni-tool screen stayed facing her.

Leon stood in the doorway, his arm lifted up against the frame. "I'm going to go grab lunch, you want anything?" His gaze shifted down to her omni-tool, his eyebrows twitching. "Who're you talking to?"

Jasmine glanced down at Rift, his tears drying on his cheeks as curiosity filled his eyes. Her gaze shifted back up to Leon before drifting to Rift again. She bit her lip, dread churning in the pit of her stomach as she turned her attention to the bulk of a man crowding her doorway. "Uh, it's Rift."

"Rift?" He flashed her a toothy grin. " _The_ Rift?"

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, _the_ Rift." Fighting back the urge to shove Leon from her room, banishing him from her personal space and any realm of possibility he might speak to Rift, she tried to change the subject. "Where are you going for lunch?"

"Well, introduce me to him." Leon stepped over the threshold, watching her expectantly.

She could refuse, of course. Just because he was her handler didn't mean he had any right to her personal life, but they'd made so much progress the last couple of days. Refusing him what ought to be a simple request would only add more tension to their already delicate friendship. And truth be told, no Phantom wanted to deal with a pissed off handler; not unless they wanted the shittiest jobs in the worst possible corners of the galaxy.

"Who is it, Jasmine?" Rift asked, drawing her attention back to him.

Shrugging off the slimy feeling creeping its way down her spine, she groaned. Jasmine turned around, letting Leon see her omni-tool's screen, and the face of the precious little boy it held. "Rift, this is Leon. He's … my boss. Leon, this is Rift, Geoffrey's son."

"He's your boss? So he's in the Alliance, too?" The boy's eyes lit up with excitement.

She winced, glancing over her shoulder at Leon. Yep, she'd get an ear full later.

"Sorry, Jasmine. I forgot it's a secret."

"Oh, it's alright, Rift. It's not a secret from me, is it Jasmine?" He met her gaze, the reproach clear in his eyes. Keeping an easy smile on his face, he looked back at the screen. "Yes, I'm in the Alliance, too."

"Rift wants to join the Alliance when he grows up. He wants to be a pilot." She grinned at the screen, pushing thoughts of Leon's disapproval from her mind.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yes, sir." Rift nodded his head, beaming at Leon.

"Do you know what kind of ship you want to pilot?" Leon came closer, his body heat warming Jasmine's back, even while leaving her feeling cold inside.

He bounced a little, the band on the poster on the wall behind him seeming to dance with the motion. "I wanna pilot the SSV Agincourt!"

"The Agincourt? She's a fantastic frigate, her crew did good work during the Skyllian Blitz. She's a great choice."

Rift's smile grew, if that were even possible, and he nodded his head. "One day, she'll be mine!"

Leon laughed, his hand coming down on Jasmine's shoulder, making her flinch. "I bet she will, kid. I bet she will. Well, Rift, my stomach's trying to eat itself, so I better go. It's nice meeting you."

"Bye!"

Jasmine stepped away from Leon, shrugging off his hand as she made her way back to her bed before glancing at him, forcing a smile on her face to ease the sting. "Just grab me whatever. You know what I eat."

* * *

"Where will you go, if you don't mind my asking?" Thane folded his hands on the table and watched Nevas as she looked over the menu.

She smiled glancing up at him. "I'm going home, back to Thessia; for the first time in forty years. Have you been?"

"No, but I hear it's a lovely place." It was a lie, of course. He'd been to Thessia a few times hunting his targets, both while working for the Compact and on his own. Saman, however, didn't have reason to go to Thessia. He wondered, for a moment, how Nevas would react if he told her the truth about who he was—what he did. He wouldn't, of course, it'd be a reckless move, but interesting to think about.

"It is, the planet itself is beautiful, but it's the people there I miss. They're more," she said, tilting her head to the side, "what they seem to be on the outside. And it's nice to be in a place where I can relax and be myself, too. I can't here. I have to always be aware that those around me are only interested in what they can get from me, and in order to protect myself, I have to constantly present the façade I've spent years constructing."

"Indeed." He reached over the table to take his turn at the menu kiosk when Nevas finished. "From what you've said, and what I've seen, I suppose spending extended periods of time on Illium would swiftly become tiresome."

It wasn't lost on him how closely her words tied into his own thoughts. Nevas had many years on him, but still so young by her people's standards, he wondered how much time she spent pretending. He understood all too well what it felt like living his life behind masks, rarely if ever able to simply _be_ with someone. He'd known others who'd spent so much of their lives separated from who they really were, until they completely lost touch, no longer even knowing themselves. It was something he used to look forward to, if he were being completely honest with himself, but now … now he had Jasmine. He loved her, and she loved him. Him, not some alias he devised to present to the public, but Thane Krios.

"What are you grinning about?" Nevas asked, drawing him out of his own head.

He glanced up from the menu and chuckled. "Am I?"

Her lips pressed, thinning out into a tight line, but still humor danced in her eyes. "Don't play coy, Saman."

He laughed, turning his attention back to the menu as he said, "Perhaps I'm just pleased to know you will soon be someplace where you will be safe and comfortable."

Nevas leaned back in her chair, draping her arms over the sides. "Why are you helping me?" The suspicion in her voice sounded very real.

He looked up, meeting her gaze and blinked. "You've been very kind to me, why wouldn't I help you given the chance?"

"I think …" She hesitated, picking at her dress, readjusting it over her knee. "I think there's more to you than meets the eye, Saman."

Thane forced himself to chuckle and turn his attention back to the menu, making his selections. "The same can be said for everyone, wouldn't you say?"

She watched him for a moment, a slow smile finally coming to her face as she leaned forward again. "I suppose so."

* * *

"There's something I should tell you." Thane clasped his hands together, resting his fingers against his lips while he thought about exactly what to tell Rone. He knew Rone should know of his intentions to return to Kahje for a time, but he doubted if he should tell his brother-in-law why.

Rone blinked, shifting forward in his chair. "I'm listening."

"I will be returning to Kahje soon. I'm not sure precisely when, or how long I will be there, but I thought it only fair to tell you." He glanced down at the keyboard before meeting Rone's gaze once more. "I give you my word I won't interfere in any way with Kolyat while I'm there. I respect your decisions, and I don't wish to challenge you, or upset him. I wouldn't even think of coming to Kahje, but … it's important I do."

"I see. I thank you for telling me, and I hope all is well." Rone folded his hands on the table.

"I—I'm not yet certain, but I believe it will be." Thane realized he spoke the truth. For the first time in a very long time, he did believe all would be well.

"Forgive me for being so forward, Brother, but I must ask, will you be coming to Kahje on business?" Rone searched Thane's face, the light cutting through Rone's ocular scales, giving view to pale green irises.

' _Away on business,' she'd tell them. I was always 'away on business'._

Thane's breath caught in his throat, but he recovered quickly enough to raise his brow ridge and keep his voice neutral. "No, I have no business on Kahje, this is a personal matter."

Rone took a deep breath, dipping his head as he sat back in his chair. "My apologies, I only ask for Kolyat's safety, I am sure you understand."

Thane blinked and then blinked again, weighing Rone's words, mulling them over in his mind until the truth became unmistakable. "She told you." It wasn't a question, and he supposed some part of him already knew. How could she not? Rone's her brother, her family, and they were always close. She would've needed someone to turn to, someone to talk to in the long stretches of Thane's absence.

 _He knows the true depths of my guilt, of how I failed her. He knows …._

Rone's face stilled, his gaze steady and resolute. "I have kept my sister's secrets for many years, Thane, and I will continue to carry them with me until I go to the sea."

He bowed his head, tears biting and hot in the corners of his eyes. Pain, sharp and demanding churned in his chest. He pressed his hand to his sternum and cleared his throat, blinking back the tears. Forcing himself to meet his brother's gaze, he asked, "Does my son know?"

Rone shook his head. "I have not spoken to anyone else. If he knows by other means, he has not said. I would not say anything to you now, but I need to be certain he is safe; always."

Thane swallowed and cleared his throat again, rubbing at the pain in his chest. "I spent some time in the hospital on the Citadel—with the hanar—they found I have the early stages of Kepral's Syndrome."

Rone leaned forward again, resting his elbows on the table, clasping his hands in front of his face, his expression as solemn as his voice. "This saddens me to hear … but it also leaves me confused."

"The doctors said my condition is not yet so bad to warrant a classification of Kepral's, and there are treatments available on Kahje to slow if not completely halt the progression." Thane waved his hand at nothing in particular, only barely conscious of wanting to wave away Rone's sympathy; sympathy he had no right to accept. "It's why I'm coming to Kahje."

Rone smiled, looking so much like his sister in that moment it only made the pain in Thane's chest worsen. "This is fantastic news, you are quite lucky to have learned of your condition when—"

The door opened behind him, and Rone turned to look over his shoulder.

"Uncle Rone, may I—"

 _Kolyat._

The young drell froze, seemingly paralyzed in the doorway, his eyes locked onto Thane's. Time stood still. Everything but Kolyat ceased to exist.

 _My son. My beautiful child._

"Kolyat." The word rushed from Thane's mouth, sounding like nothing less than a prayer, bringing time crashing back down around him.

Rone glanced back at the screen before turning to look at Kolyat, holding his hand out to the boy. Dropping his hand from the door, Kolyat took one hesitant step forward. Thane's heart slammed in his chest, the pain from moments before completely vanished, replaced only with overwhelming hope leaving him feeling weightless.

Kolyat took another step, and then another. Tucking his hands behind his back and squaring his shoulders, he crossed the floor to stand next to his uncle, his eyes never leaving the screen. "Hello, Father."

"Hello, Kolyat." Thane licked his lips, working up saliva in the desert of his mouth. "It's so good to see you. I—you look well, you've … you've grown so much." His throat spasmed, aching with his yearning as tears of joy welled up in his eyes. He didn't bother fighting them, nor did he brush them away when they began spilling down his cheeks.

"I am well," Kolyat said, his tone clipped and void of any sign that he reciprocated his father's feelings. "Excuse me, Father." He turned to his uncle, dismissing Thane completely. "Uncle Rone, may I go play with Quinlo?"

 _Ah. Of course._

Thane swiped the tears away from his eyes and took a steadying breath.

 _I deserve no more. This much has been a gift, and I will cherish it always._

Rone started to turn from Kolyat, his gaze drifting toward Thane but never quite making contact before turning back to the child. "Have you finished your studies for the evening?"

"Yes, Uncle." The young drell kept his gaze resolutely locked on Rone.

"Then you may go." Rone nodded his head in acquiescence. "Ask your aunt what time dinner will be ready, and be sure you are home in time to eat."

Kolyat dipped his head. "Thank you, Uncle."

Rone patted his shoulder, giving it a little squeeze. "You are welcome, Kolyat."

He turned, walking away. Stopping next to the door, he glanced over his shoulder, turning back to face the screen but not raising his eyes to look at Thane. "Goodbye, Father."

Thane lifted his hand, fighting back the urge to touch his image on the screen before he disappeared again. "Goodbye, my son."

* * *

Jasmine took him by the hand, leading him to the couch. She pulled Thane down with her as she sat before moving in against his side, resting her head on his shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her, welcoming her closer. She lifted her hand to his chest, running her fingers over the exposed scales above his vest. He hummed, bringing a smile to her face as he ran his hand up and down her arm.

"He acknowledged you, though." She dropped her hand from his scales, tucking it between the two of them as she snuggled in closer instead. It was late, and her eyelids felt heavy, but his warmth called to her, keeping her there with him long past when she should've returned to her own apartment to sleep. "That's a good start."

"Indeed, it's more than I hoped for so soon."

She fought back a yawn, knowing he'd encourage her to go home and sleep if he knew how tired she really felt. "It's good you told Rone, about being sick and going to Kahje."

"I almost didn't."

Jasmine tilted her head back to look at him. "How come?"

"I was afraid he'd think I only wished to see Kolyat because I'm sick. I—I didn't want him to think my motives were so selfish." Thane took a deep breath and let it out slow, his fingers idly tracing random patterns on her arm. "And I didn't want his pity; for him to feel compelled to push Kolyat because of my illness."

She watched his eyes, cast completely in shadow from her angle. She'd been slowly learning to read the dark orbs, though, and just then she could see his torn pride. "What changed your mind?"

He pulled away enough to turn his head and meet her gaze. "He said something that made me realize he knows I'm an assassin—he was afraid I'd be bringing trouble to Kahje. I wanted to assure him this wouldn't be the case."

Her eyebrows twitched, thinking the conversation must've taken a completely unexpected turn. No wonder he'd seemed so dazed when she showed up; it certainly painted Rone taking in Kolyat in a new light. "Are you okay … with him knowing?"

Thane took another deep breath and nodded his head. "I am. It surprises me, but I am. Irikah trusted him, and he was there for her when she needed him … when I failed to be. I'm grateful to him." He lifted his hand, running the lock of hair draped over her shoulder through his fingers. "He swears he's never spoken to anyone else about it, and he never will. I believe him. Rone is an honest man, he always has been, and now Kolyat's safety is his priority."

They sat in silence for a couple of minutes, Thane running her hair through his fingers while she thought about what it must've felt like for him to see his son, even if only for moment. He shifted beside her, working his arm down behind her until he slid his hand under her thigh, his other hand coming around to grip her waist. She looked up at him just as he lifted her, as if she weighed nothing, and pulled her over to sit sideways on his lap, her back resting against the arm of the couch.

Jasmine laughed, settling into the new position. "Hi." It amazed her how he'd gone from tensing over the slightest touch to making as much physical contact with her as possible—well, nearly as much as possible—whenever they were together. She enjoyed it, a part of her knowing it wouldn't last; the novelty would wear off eventually and he'd want his personal space back.

"Hello." Smiling, he reached out, running his fingers over her temple and down along her jaw. "How was your day, siha?"

"Mmmm. It's been alright. Rift called this afternoon." Jasmine pursed her lips. "He's upset because he got grounded." She grinned, still feeling her chest swell with pride when she thought about him. She knew she ought not hope Rift hurt the boy, but she kind of did. "The injustice of it all broke his little heart." She chuckled when Thane frowned at her. "He hit another kid for being mean to his sister. The kid called her a baby, and then insulted the Williams' name, calling them all cowards." She shrugged. "He defended his sister and the rest of his new family, maybe I'm a little proud."

Thane's brow pulled down. "Cowards?"

Jasmine chewed on her lip and nodded her head. "Geoffrey's uncle is _the_ General Williams."

"Ah. The surrender of Shanxi." His brow ridges pulled in even further, incredulity seeping into his voice when he asked, "Children tease Geoffrey's family over his uncle's actions in the war?"

She snorted. "Not just children, sadly."

"I don't understand. Everything I've heard about Shanxi and the First Contact War seems to indicate General Williams held Shanxi as long as he could; pressing the battle would've only resulted in losing everyone." Wrapping his arm around her waist, he held onto her hip. "He saved his people with his decision. Why is this a shameful thing?"

"Because, ironically, we're a lot more like turians than what other races realize." She leaned in closer, draping her arm around his shoulders. "We're a prideful people, who don't like to lose, no matter the cost." She sniffed, bringing her other hand up to splay her fingers out across her chest. "Not me, of course. I'm completely humble." She grinned when he laughed, jostling her on his lap.

"Of course." He hooked her chin with a knuckle, pulling her face to his. "The most humble creature I've ever known." He pressed his lips to hers, a gentle caress of a kiss before breaking away again. "I wish you could come to Kahje with me. I'm going to miss this; miss you. I've had such little time with you."

She sighed, cupping his face, brushing her thumb over his cheek. "Thane, I …."

"I know, siha." He tightened his grip on her. "I know you must go where they send you, and I'm not asking you to abandon your responsibilities. Just know I'll miss you, and I'll wish you were there with me. As soon as I'm able, I'll join you. Wherever you are, if you want me to."

She smirked. "Is this what it's going to be like for us? Chasing each other across the galaxy in between jobs?"

He dropped his gaze from hers, his shoulder sagging beneath her hand.

"Hey." She waited for him to look at her before continuing. "Chase me, Thane. Chase me for as long as it makes you happy, and I'll do the same. This life might not be ideal for a relationship, and I kind of suck at them, but I want this."

His smile returned, soft and hopeful. "As do I."

"Good. Because you told me you love me." She tugged at a buckle on his vest. "That's sort of a big deal."

"Indeed." His smile grew, his gaze searching her face. "And you said you love me, too."

"I did, didn't I?" She pursed her lips and nodded. "That's a pretty big deal, too."

"I think it might be." He chuckled, giving her hip a little squeeze.

"So, you'll go to Kahje and let the doctors do their thing. You'll get better, and we'll find a way to make this work. Okay?" She arched her eyebrows in question, wanting desperately for him to agree and for everything to just be simple for once.

He nodded, bringing his hand to her face to pull her back to him. He kissed her and then rested his forehead against hers. "Thank you, siha."

Leaning back, she found his gaze and held it with her own. "For what?"

The low light caught in his eyes, showing her the emerald green she'd come to love. His voice sounded so raw when he spoke, it nearly broke her heart. "For waking me from my battle sleep, and bringing light back into my life."

She forced a smile on her face, hoping to lighten the mood again. "Honestly, I don't know how you survived so long without me."

Thane chuckled and shook his head. "Your humbleness astounds me."

Leaning her side against his chest, she laid her head on his shoulder. "I know, I amaze myself with it all the time." She took his hand in her own when he moved it from her hip to her knee. Taking a moment to figure out how best to lace her fingers with his, she left the humor behind but kept her tone light. "I'm glad we found each other, and you let me get close enough to make you feel something again." She studied their hands, her middle finger resting atop her ring finger, to accommodate his webbing. "Is this uncomfortable for you?" She bent her wrist, moving their hands to highlight what she meant.

"Not at all."

She tilted her head back to look at him. "Would you tell me if it were?"

He smirked, rubbing his thumb along her hand. "Of course."

"Liar." She snorted, turning her attention back to their hands.

Chuckling, just a soft rumble in his chest she felt more than heard, he lifted their entwined hands. "It's … unfamiliar, but not uncomfortable. I'm pleased to hold your hand, however you prefer."

She pulled his hand to her, kissing his knuckle before resting their hands against her chest. The silence stretched between them, and she was content to let it for few moments, basking in the feel of being so close to him. She wished they had more time together, too, but with plans to take out her targets the next day, it'd probably only be a couple of days before she'd be leaving Illium to go—God only knew where—and he'd be off to Kahje.

She cleared her throat. "We'll be moving on RetCorp tomorrow."

He turned his head, his lips pressing against her forehead. "You don't sound happy about this."

"I don't know how long I'll be here after the job's done." She swallowed and licked her lips. "I don't think Leon's going to want to stick around here for very long. These targets were chosen because they attempted to assassinate an important man … I found out he's Leon's father." She didn't look up when he shifted next to her, even though she could tell he was trying to get a better look at her, trying to meet her gaze. "The Alliance doesn't know this, though. So … we need to do the job cleanly and go. So they don't have a reason to ask questions after."

When he finally spoke, voice heavy with concern, his words came with weighted hesitancy. "And if they do … ask questions?"

Jasmine sighed, using her thumb to trace the small grooves where scale met scale on the back of his hand. "Then it's his ass, not mine. I may not be a proper soldier, but I'm still Alliance and he's still technically my commanding officer. I'm just following orders."

"He's ordered you to help him with this deception?" His lips thinned out, not much, but enough to make his disapproval clear.

 _So much for keeping things light._

She shook her head and swallowed again. "No. If I wanted to walk away, he'd let me. But he asked me to stay. I think—I think he needs me here to keep him honest. To help keep him from becoming unhinged. And he's willing to deny I have any knowledge of the conflict of interest." She glanced up, finding his gaze still steady on her. "These people tried to kill his father and failed, instead leaving him in critical condition. He's in a coma and the doctors don't think he's going to survive, if he does, he'll never be …. There's no way I'd be able to get him to walk away from this, so my only other options are to either turn him in and get him in serious trouble, or leave him to deal with it on his own. I can't." Shrugging, she shook her head. "I just can't."

Thane smiled at her, but there was something sad to it, like a ghost haunting him, and she supposed there was. "You have a kind heart, siha."

She hesitated, frowning a little herself. "Why do you sound like you think it's a bad thing?"

Eyes widening, he shook his head. "I don't, not at all." His lips remained parted but nothing came out for a few heartbeats. "I'm only afraid this life will take it from you … and that'd be terrible."

Jasmine sighed, dropping her gaze to her lap. "Thane … in all my life my job is the one thing I've ever even come close to being good at. I'm not ready to give it up. I might not ever. You can't go into this thinking you're going to convince me to change, or with some vision in your head about who I might be 'if only.'" She looked back up at him, willing the truth of her words to show through in her eyes. "I need you to see me as I am. Accept me for me."

Thane took a breath. "Irikah," he said, her name coming out strangled. He licked his lips and tried again. "Irikah hated me for who I was when we first met." He huffed, his lips twitching at the corners. "She called me a murdering bastard. I still can't say exactly why, but I begged her to help me, to forgive me." He swallowed, his eyes losing focus, his gaze starting to dart around before snapping back to her. He worked his jaw, clenching it and then relaxing it again before continuing. "As we came to know one another, she convinced me I should leave the Compact and forge my own path in life. She was—I wanted a life with her, so I tried. I begged the hanar to release me from the Compact and returned to her. I took whatever jobs I could find, but with no marketable skills, I had no choice but to resort to manual labor."

She struggled to hold back a grin, the thought of Thane swinging a hammer for a living, or farming—or whatever he did—seemed absolutely ludicrous.

He smiled, tilting his head to the side. "You find this amusing?"

Caving, she laughed and shook her head. "No, I just … I'm just trying to picture you doing manual labor." She shook her head again. "I can't. I mean, what'd you even do?"

"Various construction and demolition jobs, mostly. Some goods transporting," he said, lifting his shoulder, "loading and unloading ships."

Grinning, she untangled her hand from his and pulled at the leather of his vest. "And uh, were you dressed like this during these construction jobs?"

His head tilted a little further, blinking both sets of eyelids. "No, not exactly."

"You know I'm picturing you shirtless now, right? Muscles bulging, scales slick with sweat." She scraped her teeth over her lip, holding a bit of it trapped there as she snickered.

He smirked, tugging her lip free from her teeth before brushing his thumb over her lip. "I do now."

She puckered her lips, kissing his thumb. "Construction is dirty work. Demolition's even worse. How'd you manage _not_ spending all your time trying to tidy up the place? You must've been miserable."

"Indeed, but not because it's dirty work." He smiled, dipping his head. "Well, not entirely, anyway. I was miserable because I had valuable skills that were going to waste while I did menial, unskilled labor; receiving scraps for pay. I worked for those who had no respect for me while I struggled to feed my family. I spent half of my time counting the different ways I could kill my employers."

Jasmine nodded, understanding easily how she'd find herself doing the same in his position.

He pulled her hand away from his vest, running his fingertips over the lines etched in her palm. "I eventually decided to return to what I do best. I couldn't bring myself to ask for my position back within the Compact, and I doubt they would've granted it to me anyway." He shook his head a little, brushing his fingers over the edges of her nails. "So, I discussed it with Irikah, and although she didn't like it, she agreed to my freelancing my skills."

"Things were never quite the same between us after, though I take responsibility. My career choices drove a wedge between us; small at first, something that with time and consideration might've been overcome …." He swallowed, his gaze flitting to hers before sliding back to their hands. "Instead, I lost myself in my work, spending more and more time away from home." He paused, seeming to weigh his words. "When home, I became distant. I didn't know how to be present with them, living two different lives and trying to keep them separate. I wasn't a good husband or a father."

He cleared his throat. "I suppose what I'm trying to say is: I have no illusions of changing you, siha. Not anymore. I have hopes for you, but I know if you choose a different path, it should be because you want it for yourself. Something you can be happy doing; always knowing regardless of your choices, I accept you. I love you, and I want you to be happy, that's all that ultimately matters to me."

She pulled him to her with the tip of her finger beneath his chin. "I love you," she whispered against his mouth, "and I want you to be happy, too." She kissed him again, their tongues meeting briefly between their lips. Sliding her hand over his frills, she pulled back, meeting his gaze. "So, this whole working shirtless thing …."

He laughed, leaning in to kiss her jaw just below her ear.


	24. Falie Janisir

**A/N: Trigger Warning: This chapter contains material, that given the past relationship between Leon and Jasmine, may be reminiscent of domestic violence.**

 **Falie Janisir**

Seven minutes. She had seven minutes before the meeting ended, and Leon expected her to be in place. Jasmine pulled a knife from her boot, and slid it between the ceiling tile and the metal frame in front of her, easing the tile up a hair before slipping the knife back in its sheath. Lifting the tile just a little more, she peered down into the server room below. The coast was clear, so she shoved the tile aside and dropped down into the room, landing in a crouch. Six minutes and some twenty odd seconds to go.

Standing, she scanned the room, locating the user interface and crossed the floor. Jasmine inserted the OSD, watching as the system lit up, a string of ones and zeros flooding the screen. Glancing at the door, her hand resting on her pistol secured at the small of her back, she took a deep breath, trying to chase away the jittery twitch of apprehension coiling her every muscle into a spring trap with a hair trigger. She turned her attention back to the screen, tapping her fingers on the server rack next to her while she waited for the program to finish doing … whatever. Holding her breath when she heard footsteps passing the server room door, she glanced at her omni-tool. Five minutes, thirty-two seconds.

"Come on," she whispered, bringing her thumb to her mouth to gnaw on her nail.

Five minutes, eleven seconds. The screen went blank, and the OSD ejected. Jasmine pulled it from the computer, tucking it away in her pocket. Four minutes, fifty-eight seconds. She turned, running to gain speed before jumping, planting her foot on the side of a server rack, using it to launch herself up. Grabbing ahold of the frame lining the ceiling, she pulled herself up through the hole and replaced the tile. Four minutes, forty-five seconds.

Jasmine turned, running along the rafters until she reached the elevator shaft access. A quick glance down showed her the elevator cabin several floors down, stationary. Grabbing the ladder, she pulled herself into the shaft and started climbing. "Fuck," she hissed as her omni-tool vibrated against her wrist, pushing herself to climb faster.

A half a floor away from where she needed to be, she heard the elevator whirring to life beneath her, ramping up the staccato beat of her heart. "Shit, shit, shit. You've got to be kidding me."

Reaching her floor, she slammed her hand against the access door, pushing it open and climbing through. Her feet cleared the shaft, and she turned just in time to see the elevator pass by. An abrupt titter escaped her throat before she slapped her hand over her mouth, cutting it off. Two minutes, twenty-one seconds. Closing the access door, she pulled herself to her feet. Two minutes, fifteen seconds.

With no time to waste, Jasmine spun on her heel and made her way through the maze of rafters, following the blueprint in her head until she arrived just above Janisir's office. One minute, one second. She shifted the ceiling tile, making sure the room laid empty beneath her. Removing her pistol from the holster, she checked the laser sighting, attaching the silencer Leon surprised her with before they left for RetCorp. Twenty-eight seconds. Opening her omni-tool, she took half a second to frown at the message notification—the attached code declaring the sender as a liaison—before letting Leon know her position.

She sighed, the relief of making it in time short-lived as doubt reared its ugly head once more, whispering in the back of her mind. Why was a liaison contacting her while on a job with her handler? Pushing the thought away—now wasn't the time to think about it—she turned her attention back to the empty office below, taking a deep breath to clear her head.

The seconds ticked by, leaving her staring at the door, waiting. And waiting. And waiting. Finally, the door opened and her target walked in, gaze glued to a datapad. Janisir made her way around her desk and settled into her chair. Jasmine raised her gun and lined up her shot, the laser dot settling on the asari's temple. Just as her finger moved toward the trigger, the door started to open. Shifting her aim up, she let the laser cut through the darkness in front of her, hiding it from the newcomer's sight. When the door slid open, Jasmine's breath caught in her throat, immediately recognizing Nevas on the other side.

"Sorry to bother you, Ms. Janisir, but you left the weekly projections data in the staff meeting." Nevas waved the datapad in her hand a little, stepping forward to hand it off to Janisir.

Jasmine grimaced, it didn't even occur to her Nevas would be in that meeting. Thank God Leon agreed to pick off their targets away from the crowd. She liked Nevas, and even if they'd managed to avoid collateral damage, taking their targets in the staff meeting would've been traumatizing to the survivors. She didn't want to put Nevas through that hell, and she just took a huge risk to make the asari's life better, not worse.

Janisir didn't even bother to look at Nevas, waving her hand dismissively as Nevas sat the datapad down. Nevas smiled despite the exhaustion in her eyes, dipping her head, as she backed away from the desk before turning to leave. Janisir finally glanced up but only to smirk and roll her eyes at Nevas' back.

 _Bitch._

Jasmine waited for the door to close behind the asari and counted to five. Lining up her shot again, she focused on the the spot of red as she willed her breath to even out. Finding her rhythm, she settled into the place of stillness where everything outside of the feel of her finger on the smooth metal of her trigger and the mark on her target disappeared; she breathed in, squeezing ever so slightly on the exhale. She watched the blossom of violet spray from the exit wound a fraction of a second before Janisir's body fell slack, slumping to the side; the lack of gun report oddly satisfying.

* * *

Makio stood just inside her office door, wrapped in the arms of another asari. Jasmine watched through the window from the empty office next-door as the two women kissed. She'd used her omni-tool to cut a hole in the glass safely hidden behind the drawn blinds, and now she waited, comfortably detached, for the unknown asari to leave.

They broke for air, Makio holding onto her lover's hands as she smiled. "I'll see you tonight."

"Can't wait." The other woman leaned in, pressing her lips to Makio's again before pulling away and leaving the office.

A pang of guilt slipped through Jasmine's calm, but she pushed it aside and locked it away, pulling the soft static of nothingness back around her. She waited for Makio to move to the other side of the room, only lining up her mark once certain any stray shot would hit the support beam and not the window across from her. Taking a breath, she pulled the trigger as she let it out.

* * *

D'Lar leaned back in her chair, her fingers tapping out an agitated rhythm on the surface of her desk. Jasmine shifted her weight a hair, keeping her focus on the picture window behind the asari, watching D'Lar's reflection as she bickered with a salarian on a vid-call. Why exactly the asari's office needed so many structurally pointless partitions, Jasmine didn't know. They made it impossible to get a bead on D'Lar at her desk from above, forcing Jasmine out of her comfort zone, but at least they gave her cover.

"I don't care what you have to do, Emarth, just get it done." D'Lar leaned forward, her voice coming out in a growl. "Because if you don't, I will come to Omega and crush you with my bare hands, breaking every bone in your frail little body, so that when I hit you with a Throw, you flop around like a stuffed pyjak." Jabbing a button, she cut the call, the screen going blank.

 _Don't worry, Emarth, the psycho asari's not coming for you._

Raising her gun, she turned the corner, leveling her weapon on D'Lar just as the asari turned to look. The red dot settled on the middle of her forehead, right between the eyes, and Jasmine pulled the trigger. Lips twitching with a satisfied smirk, she turned on her heel, disappearing back the way she came.

* * *

She reached the rendezvous point, surprised Leon wasn't there. He should've beaten her to the location. The panicked sounds of frightened RetCorp employees and orders being barked from security guards echoed through the building. Someone sounded the alarm faster than she'd hoped, and they needed to get out of RetCorp immediately. She heard security moving through a sweep; they were making their way closer to her. If Leon didn't show up in a few seconds, she'd have to move to the alternate location.

 _Where the hell are you? Come on, come on, come on._

"You check the south side, I'll go north."

 _Shit._

Jasmine opened the maintenance access shaft and climbed inside, pulling the panel closed behind her. She took a second to send Leon a quick message, letting him know the sweep pushed her to the second location. Hunched over, nearly forced to her knees, she made her way down the shaft; each step calculated to keep the noise of her movement as muffled as possible. About nine meters in, she reached the ventilation and used her omni-tool to work the bolts loose. She'd pull the vent cover back into place behind her, but she wouldn't be able to do anything about the loose bolts once inside, so she stuffed them in her pocket. She just hoped either RetCorp security was too stupid to check, or she and Leon were long gone before they started crawling around through the ventilation system.

Duck-walking her way through the vents at a snail's pace, her pulse throbbed in her temples. She thanked the Alliance for the hell they put her through in training, making the burning muscles screaming in protest and the dust choking her lungs something she could ignore for as long as she needed to. Her omni-tool vibrated against her wrist. Checking her proximity to the nearest vent cover, she opened her omni-tool, allowing herself a sigh of relief when she recognized Leon's code.

" _Heading to the second rendezvous now."_

She ran her fingers over the holographic keys. " _A couple of minutes away."_

Closing her omni-tool, she pressed on. She heard voices as she neared the next vent and stopped, waiting for them to pass before moving forward again. Centimeter by agonizingly slow centimeter, she made her way to the next maintenance shaft, leaving the ventilation system and replacing the cover behind her. Stretching out as much as the slightly bigger space allowed, moving a little quicker, she shuffled through the shaft until she reached a ladder and started climbing down.

The soft clank of her boots against the metal rungs echoed through the chamber, sounding like booms of thunder to her straining ears, occasionally broken by muffled chaos just on the other side of the wall as she passed first one floor and then the next. Finally approaching the second rendezvous, she found Leon waiting, reaching out to help her down. She never expected to experience such profound relief to feel his strong hands wrapping around her hips, lifting her from the ladder to settle her safely on the other side of the shaft. She wiped her sweaty palms on her thighs and nodded in the direction of their planned escape route.

Without a word, she fell into line behind her handler, following him as he led them through the hallways meant for use by service personnel. It wouldn't be long before security moved into the halls, if they hadn't already—finding the thought of facing off against a horde of pissed off biotics less than appealing, Jasmine stayed alert, her ears straining for any sounds of approach. She had no doubt Leon listened just as hard, and their vigilance served them well when a moment later a door at the end of the hall started to open.

Activating their cloaks, they pushed forward, racing against the cloaks' short-lived effects while acutely aware of the need to be quiet. The door opened, four asari wearing dark uniforms, wielding assault rifles stepped over the threshold just as Jasmine and Leon reached an alcove for another door, ducking into cover. Footsteps moved closer as their cloaks dropped, leaving them exposed to anyone passing by. Jasmine counted down the recharge time in her head, keeping perfectly still, her hand resting on the device secured at her wrist. They were coming too fast, the guards would reach the alcove before the cloaks recharged. Leon's hand moved to the gun secured at the low of his back and Jasmine clenched her jaw.

 _God, please let them turn around. Please. Please._

"Wait." The footsteps stopped at the asari's command. "This is Shyana, go ahead."

Holding her breath, she listened to the shuffling of feet and the clicking of weapons being checked over while the asari stood idle a handful of meters away. Leon shifted a hair, just enough to glance over his shoulder at her and she shrugged. The countdown in her head came to an end just as Leon's hand moved from his gun to his own cloaking device and she let the air seep out of her lungs.

"Come on, we're going to the server room," the asari said, and with that, the footsteps started again, moving in the other direction.

 _The server room. Oh thank God. Okay, well, I guess thank Thane. But thank God I went there first._

Leon peeked around the corner. "Let's go." Stepping out of the alcove, he waved at her to follow him.

They passed the stairs; even though it'd give them a direct route to the ground floor and out of the building, stairs were too dangerous. If they got cornered there, they didn't stand a chance. They were beyond outnumbered; they needed to stick to areas they'd be able to use in their favor if forced to fight their way out, which meant more maintenance shafts and ladders. They'd want to avoid the ventilation system, though—Leon's bulk would slow them down way too much in the vents, instead leading them into the service halls from time to time.

Reaching another ladder, they made their way down two more floors before crossing back into the maintenance shafts, Leon moving ahead of her, the tight space forcing him into a full crouch. They were only two floors away from freedom when things really started going south.

A panel opened next to Leon. The asari on the other side had just enough time to suck in a surprised gasp before Leon reached out, snapping her neck. The alarm went up the moment her body hit the floor, her sisters in arms yelling her name, barking orders, and lifting their weapons, taking aim at the opening. Leon pushed to the side, taking cover and drawing his gun. Cursing under her breath, Jasmine had no choice but to do the same, praying the metal walls were thick enough to save them if the guards decided to just pepper the whole area with gunfire.

Leon leaned out of cover, firing off three shots before hiding behind the wall again. The return fire echoed in the chamber, loud enough to deafen, but the wall at Jasmine's back held out. She felt the pressure of each shot as it slammed into the wall, leaving behind heated dents to dig into her side; her cover wouldn't last forever.

She waited for the pause in fire before leaning out, leveling her gun on the first blue shape she saw, pulling the trigger before making out the asari's features. Swinging her gun around to take aim at the next, more shots rang out, one of them grazing her forearm before she scrambled back. She hissed at the sudden streak of white hot fire blazing a trail across her arm and slapped her free hand down over the wound.

"You alright, love?" Leon leaned out, shooting at the last asari. He turned his attention back to her, moving a little closer, reaching out for her arm.

She brushed him off and shook her head. "It's nothing major. We need to move before more show up." Squeezing past him, she pulled the panel closed before pushing forward.

* * *

Fifteen people dead, more guards than targets. No matter what Leon said, those were not acceptable numbers. It wasn't a botched assassination, they created a God damned massacre. By the books, avoid collateral damage; that's what they were supposed to do. How the hell did things go so wrong? She wasn't sure how long they'd been inside anymore, being pushed from one route to the next over and over again. Each time they thought the path was clear, a door opened and guards poured through, or they'd find groups of civilians cowering together, hiding in fear, leaving them no option but to reroute. And now, the joke Illium called law enforcement swarmed RetCorp, covering all exits, blocking their escape.

"We have to go back up … there's a roof access … we'll cut across to the next building." Jasmine gnawed on her cuticle while scrutinizing Leon's profile. Tired and sore, hungry and needing to use the bathroom, she just wanted out of RetCorp. As her adrenaline flagged, she found it harder and harder to stay alert.

The tendon in his jaw jumped, moving up and down as he clenched his jaw over and over, his gaze never leaving the flashing lights of the squad cars below. He let out a heavy breath, his nostrils flaring and gave a sharp nod of his head. "Yeah." His gaze brushed past her as he turned, the crazed look in his eyes turning her blood cold. "Let's go."

* * *

Jasmine pressed her body flush against the wall, edging her way around the building, the ledge stable but narrow beneath her feet. Forcing herself to take slow, deep breaths, she scanned the area ahead, desperate to find a place for them to cross. The weak, wavering feeling in her thighs stood as a constant reminder that if she slipped, if her knees buckled, she'd fall to her death. Her exhaustion whispered to her in the Devil's own voice: maybe it wouldn't be so bad.

 _Not today, asshole._

Leon waited for her back on the roof, trusting her to find an escape for them, his massive size preventing him from following her until she located another way down for him. And with three more guards dead, Leon looking on the verge of going postal, and the police making their way through RetCorp, they needed a way out _now_.

* * *

Thane stood looking out the window, his hands behind his back as he forced an outward appearance of calm and indifference. Inside … inside he felt terrified. His mind and years of training demanded he avoid RetCorp while the authorities flooded the building, but his heart begged him to leave the nervous asari fidgeting behind him and go directly into the storm to find the woman he loved.

 _I have to trust in her. Amonkira guide her hand, let her aim be true._

"How is _this_ a coincidence?" Nevas stopped next to him, thrusting her hand out toward the window at the sight of a dozen police skycars surrounding RetCorp in the distance. "Goddess, Saman, I'm lucky I got out of there alive!"

Resting a hand on her shoulder, he offered her a reassuring smile. "Yet you _are_ alive, Nevas, and you're safe, at home. What's happening at RetCorp right now is unfortunate, but I assure you it's not happening because you agreed to allow me to help you. The timing, however, may work in your favor. Have you arranged transportation to Thessia?"

She huffed and threw her hands up in the air, turning her back on him and pacing away again. Stopping in front of her vid screen, she turned it on again, flipping through the channels until she found a news station with live coverage. "I'm leaving in the morning, assuming the police don't knock on my door before then."

 _Arashu keep her safe, she is the very air I breathe and your servant._

The news reporter tilted her head to the side as if listening to something before turning back to the screen. "I've just been informed the police have completed an initial sweep of the building. I haven't been given an exact number, but it appears several of RetCorp's high level employees and even more guards have been killed. No arrests have been made at this time, but I'm told the police are questioning all employees being evacuated from the building and are asking for those employees who fled from the danger to contact the local IPD to give statements."

The asari on the vid screen turned to the side, looking over her shoulder at the building where several officers exited. Thane suppressed a sigh of relief to see they didn't escort anyone out of the building in handcuffs, and all accounts of the dead, so far, remained asari.

"I can't …." Nevas pressed her fingers to her brow. "I don't know anything about this, but they're bound to learn RetCorp's systems were tampered with and …."

"Breathe, Nevas."

 _Is this what life was like for Irikah? Living in constant fear that I might never return?_

* * *

Jasmine sat on the edge of her bed, elbows resting on her knees, her face buried in her hands. She'd taken a moment to message Thane, telling him she and Leon were out of RetCorp, she'd used his OSD, but she couldn't talk at the moment, promising she'd call him later. Taking in a deep breath, she let it out slow, trying to calm her racing thoughts. She heard Leon moving throughout the apartment, pacing from room to room like a caged animal, the news playing in the background. Something happened in there—something that made everything go to shit—and he wasn't telling her. And then ….

Then she'd read the message from a liasion. A dossier, more specifically. For the Citadel, on a target arriving in a few hours time and who'd only be there a day. There was no way she'd be able to get back to the Citadel in time; it made no sense for Leon to put her on such a time sensitive job when the Illium targets meant so much to him. Not to mention he just pulled her from the Citadel and standard protocol said she wouldn't be sent back unless absolutely necessary for at least six months. Which meant … which meant Leon didn't put her on the job, someone else made the call … someone who expected her to still be on the Citadel.

That told her two things: one, the Alliance didn't know where Jasmine was and two, the Alliance didn't have contact with Leon. There wasn't any other reason anyone besides Leon should be assigning her cases. She glanced up at the closed door, disgust at her own naiveté churning in her guts, lighting a fire in her veins.

 _This job isn't sanctioned, we're not supposed to be here. The sonofabitch lied to me, again. Looked me right in the eye and lied to me. Eighteen people dead on a job that doesn't even exist and … Jesus Christ. Shit. Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck._

She jumped to her feet only to stop, frozen in place looking at the door. Sucking cool air in through her nose, she let it seep back out of her before doing it again. She needed to calm down before she confronted Leon. Already agitated, if she came at him full of vitriol, he'd snap and things could get real ugly, real fast. Scrubbing her hands over her face, she took another breath and opened the door.

He glanced at her as she leaned against the doorframe, crossing her arms loosely over her chest. His gaze cut right through her, like he didn't really see her at all before he turned back to the vid screen. The news showed bodies being rolled out on stretchers, concealed in black bags. The salarian in front of the camera rattled on about some conspiracy involving RetCorp's competitors.

"Someone assigned me to a job on the Citadel," Jasmine said, fighting to keep her voice level. "I can't figure out any reason for it other than the Alliance doesn't know we're here …." She trailed off when he turned to face her, his gaze suddenly so intent and focused on her, she struggled not to squirm.

He watched her for a moment not saying a word before turning back to the screen. "Leave it alone, love."

"Leave it …." She dropped her arms to her sides, crossing the floor in long strides, putting herself between Leon and the vid screen. "Are you kidding me? I'm trying _really_ hard to stay calm here, but seriously, Leon. What. The. Fuck?"

"Don't, Jasmine." The tendon in his jaw twitched, his gaze pinning her in place. "Just don't."

 _You can't be fucking serious._

She scoffed, letting every ounce of contempt she felt color the sound and shook her head. "I can't just _ignore_ this. You brought me here. Lied to me, even when I asked you about your connection to the job. You …" she said, scoffing again and turning away from him, shaking her head, "... people are dead who shouldn't be; people _I_ killed because you _tricked_ me! This is _not_ okay."

"I was protecting you!" he hissed at her. "I'm still protecting you. We've already covered it, you were following my orders, you've got nothing to worry about. I'll deal with the Alliance, just leave it alone."

"Bullshit. Protecting me would've meant never bringing me into this shit," she hissed right back, jutting out her chin as she turned back around. Mind reeling, she tried to make sense of it all, tried to consider the implications of such a colossal mountain of shit. "How are you going to 'deal with' this? Never mind losing our jobs, we're going to prison for this—if we're lucky! We'll be charged with mass murder, maybe even treason. God knows what kind of political backlash this will have for the Alliance."

"It's not going to have any political backlash because everyone in there who saw us is dead. There's nothing to pin this on us." He spoke slow, as if explaining a complex thought to a child as he raked his hand through his hair. "I'll deal with your new dossier, you'll go back to the Citadel, continue doing whatever the hell it is you were doing. Ramona Salazar is still active. The Alliance never needs to know you were here."

Jasmine crossed her arms, biting the corner of her lower lip and shook her head. She could practically feel the electric buzz in the air, and she knew she was treading on thin ice, but she couldn't stand there and pretend this was something they could just sweep under the rug. "Leon … we have to report this."

"No." He took a step closer to her, ducking his head to stare into her eyes from her level, cupping both of her shoulders. "We don't."

She shrugged his hands off of her and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Leon."

He growled, throwing his hands up in the air before letting them slap down against his legs. "I'm not fucking up the rest of my life because the Alliance didn't have the balls to do what needed to be done." Turning to pace away from her, he threaded his fingers through his hair, holding them there on top of his head. "These people murdered my father, the Alliance should've taken action, and they didn't."

Wincing, she swallowed, keeping her voice low. "Maybe, but they didn't, and now we'll be the murderers in the Alliance's eyes." Giving voice to the thoughts swirling around in her head soured her stomach. "We're in the Terminus Systems without permission, and we just killed a lot of people. This could lead to a war. The Alliance needs to know so they can prepare for the fallout."

He spun around, closing the distance between them so fast, every muscle in her body tensed. "There isn't going to _be_ any fallout, Jasmine! I've got a few loose ends to tie up and then we'll be out of here. You're over thinking this."

"Loose ends?" She furrowed her brow, narrowing her eyes to little more than slits. "What loose ends?"

His jaw flexed as he held her gaze in silence. After a moment, he took a deep breath and looked away. "Don't worry about it, just get your things ready to go." Turning, he made his way toward his room.

 _No. No, no, no. God no._

She followed him, a block of ice forming in her stomach. "Hey, wait. What loose ends?"

Glancing over his shoulder, he didn't break stride. "Leave it alone. That's an order."

The proverbial straw that broke the camel's back; she couldn't feign calm anymore. "Fuck you, you don't get to give me orders right now." Fear and fury warred within her, pulling her in a million directions all at once. "What loose ends, what are you talking about?" Reaching out, she grabbed his arm, tugging at him, trying to get him to stop and talk to her.

He pinned her against the wall before she even registered his movement, his forearm pressed against her shoulders and collarbone, limiting her range of motion. "Stand the fuck down, Jasmine." His palm slamming into the wall next to her punctuated his words.

Her eyes widened in shock, adrenaline flooding her system for the millionth time that day, bringing her brain up to speed on her situation. She jerked her knee up, aiming for his groin, only to connect with his outer thigh as he twisted to avoid her blow. The move shifted his weight off her left shoulder, giving her the opening she needed; ramming the heel of her left hand up into his elbow, she used her right to grab his wrist, pulling it down, using the points of contact to angle his arm behind him as she stepped to the side.

Her upper body strength just couldn't compete with his, though. He flexed, bending his arm and jerked, nearly dragging her off of her feet and preventing her from getting his elbow locked in place to control his movements. Jasmine let go, hopping back, putting a little distance between them as she fell into a defensive stance.

Turning, he rolled his shoulders, tilting his head side to side, a snide smile spreading across his face. "You don't want to do this, love."

She brought her hands up a little higher, ready to protect her face and head. "You've lost it, Leon. I can't let you kill anyone else." The Devil laughed in the back of her mind even as her resolve steeled her spine. Only one of them would be leaving Illium alive.

He tilted his head back, letting go of a condescending bark of laughter. "'Let' me? Shit." He sucked on his teeth. "Look at you, love, all grown up and thinking you're a real badass now." He crossed his arms over his chest, his weight falling back on his heels before rocking forward onto the balls of his feet. "I've got news for you, Jasmine. You aren't shit. You've never been shit. You barely made it through training. Hell, if we weren't fucking—"

A part of her knew he was baiting her, but it didn't stop her from lunging at him, lashing out with fists and feet. He brushed most of her strikes aside as if they were nothing more than a fly buzzing around his head before landing a blow of his own, burying his fist in her solar plexus. It ripped the air right out of her, forcing her diaphragm to spasm, keeping her from drawing in breath as she doubled over, gasping uselessly. Her training kept her from panicking, but it did little to stem the flow of electrical impulses firing through her nerves, keeping her muscles tight and robbing her of oxygen.

Leon patted her shoulder, leaning down, his mouth next to her ear. "You're too predictable, love. I'm sorry, but your little playmates have to go."

He started to pull away, but Jasmine reared back, slamming her forehead into his still healing nose hard enough to make any krogan proud. Choking and sputtering, he stumbled back, just as she sucked in her first breath. She didn't waste any time, already bent over, it took her only a second to have her boot knife in her hand and straighten herself, but he was already barreling at her.

Leon hit her with the weight of a freighter, throwing her back over the couch, sending her crashing into the table. Dazed, she rolled off the splintered heap onto the floor, pushing herself up on hands and knees. Her gaze darted about, her vision wavering, her mind fighting through fog as she desperately searched for her knife lost in the collision.

Roaring in an ugly mix of rage and pain, Leon drew her attention back to him, finding him ripping her knife free from his torso, just above his left pectoral. He threw the knife to the floor and it landed a half a meter away from her, spinning lazily, stealing her attention for a heartbeat. When she glanced back up, she stared into the barrel of a gun.

Jasmine froze.

"You should've …" he said, sucking in a hissing breath, shaking his head, "you should've let it go. Why couldn't you just let it go?"

She licked her lips, the metallic tang of blood meeting her tongue. She started to push herself up on her knees but stopped, pressing her palms back to the floor when he adjusted his aim, grunting in warning. "Too many people have died already, Leon. Please, don't do this. Nevas and Saman are innocent. They had nothing to do with your father. Please." Tears stung her eyes, threatening to spillover.

He snorted, his face full of derision as he edged around the back of the couch, coming to squat down in front of her. "' _Saman'_. How stupid do you think I am?"

Forcing her brow to furrow, willing confusion on her face, she shook her head. "What?"

He pressed the muzzle of his gun against her temple. "The next time you find yourself wondering if I ever loved you … I want you to think of this moment." Reaching out with his left hand, blood trailing down his arm, soaking through his shirt, he cupped her cheek, smearing warm blood over her face as he wiped away her tears. He smiled, his eyes cold and hard when she jerked away from his touch. "Think about this moment, when despite all of your betrayals, I let you live."

The butt of his gun connected with the side of her head and her world went black.


	25. Leon Harding aka Leon Solomon

**Leon Harding aka Leon Solomon**

 _Jesus fuck, how much did I drink?_

 _Oh._

 _Oh God._

Jasmine opened her eyes, pushing herself upright, something cool falling away from her face. Immediately regretting the sudden motion, she groaned. Lifting her hand, her fingers delicately prodded the tender, achy side of her face. She expected far worse swelling, and instead of finding an open cut she felt … Medi-gel?

 _God tell me I'm not too late. Please. Maybe he hasn't found them yet._

Sitting up the rest of the way, she lifted her arm to open her omni-tool and paused, catching sight of the angry, red gash on her arm. The area around the grazing gunshot looked clean, the skin drawn together and covered with Medi-gel. Leon must've taken quite some time in the apartment before leaving, tending to his injuries … and hers. Wet, bloody rags surrounded the opened first aid kit next to her, it's contents strewn about. Leon's torn, blood soaked shirt lay in a heap in the middle of the mess, a still-cold compress on top. He might not be far.

 _Damn, how long was I out?_

She opened her omni-tool with trembling fingers. "Shit. No, no, no." The orange, holographic screen sputtered and jumped before dying altogether. She pulled herself to her feet, swaying a moment before taking a tentative step. So far so good. The pain remained manageable despite sinking angry tentacles into her head and back. She would deal. What choice did she have, anyway?

Moving slowly, she made her way to her room, taking measured deep breaths to stave off the wooziness when it hit. He'd rifled through her things before leaving, tossing her clothes about, the picture Samantha drew her crumpled from rough handling and discarded carelessly on the bed. She swallowed, her fingers trembling with building rage as she picked up the picture, smoothing it back out. The bottle of supplements lay empty, the pills crushed on the floor. Tears burned her eyes, helplessness and fear choking the breath from of her when she found her laptop, shattered to pieces. She had no way to warn Thane; unless she wanted to waste time going to a public terminal.

 _Thane's good. Really good. Leon won't be able to take him by surprise. He can't._

Lowering herself to her knees, she reached under the bed, sliding her gun case out and popping the latches. At least he didn't lower himself to leaving her defenseless; a mistake he'd soon regret. She took in a shaky breath, lifting her sniper rifle from the case, she checked it over, readying it for use.

 _Maybe he's already dead. Thane might've killed him. But then Thane would be here now, wouldn't he?_

* * *

"You keep checking your omni-tool." Nevas glanced over at Thane, the tremor in her fingers and the feral look of an injured animal in her eyes belying the strained smile on her face. "Waiting for someone to call?"

He dipped his head. "I am, yes." He considered himself a patient man, though, and he'd continue to wait as long as Jasmine needed. His concern for her, however, seemed to have forgotten this fact. At least she messaged him to let him know she'd safely escaped RetCorp. His siha was alive, the rest could wait.

"Saman, did you meet a man?" Her tone, light and playful, sounded forced to his ears.

Chuckling, he lifted his cup to his lips, sipping the kaffe. "No, I'm waiting for a colleague to contact me."

"How boring." She took a sip of her own kaffe. Setting her cup down, she ran her finger over the rim and swallowed heavily. "I worked with those people. I saw them every day. Some of them weren't good people, but not all of them were so bad." She sniffed, running a hand under her wet eyes. "Don't misunderstand, I know RetCorp isn't what most in the galaxy would consider an honest business, but some of the people who work there are just people, working to provide for themselves and their families."

His heart ached for the conflict he saw in Nevas; the mourning for those lost and the gratitude for her freedom. "Were you close to them?"

Glancing up, she shook her head and picked her cup up again. "No, not really." She took a drink, studying him over the top of her cup. "Are you certain it's been taken care of … my problem?"

"I am." As much as possible without going into RetCorp and checking their systems himself.

"Then I think I'm going to go to the docks and see if I can leave sooner. I can't wait to be gone from here, and I know it's only a matter of time before someone mentions my name to the police and they come to look for me." She drained her cup and pushed her chair back from the table. "I don't want to be here when that happens."

"I understand." Thane stood with her. "Would you like for me to accompany you?"

"No, that's alright." She smiled, picking up their cups and carrying them to her kitchen. "Thank you, for everything, but I've taken up quite enough of your time with my fretting today."

"You've been kind to me, Nevas. It's been my pleasure to return the favor." Thane waited, hands tucked behind his back. "Are you certain you don't wish for me to accompany you? I don't mind." He did mind, though. Oh, not entirely, it didn't bother him to go with her so much as it did he still hadn't heard from Jasmine. Perhaps staying with Nevas would be good for him, distract him while he waited.

She walked out of the kitchen and stopped, her hands folded in front of her as she gave him a warm smile. "You're worried about me, aren't you?"

"It's been a troubling day." He dipped his head, acknowledging his concern.

"You don't need to worry about me. I may be young for an asari, but I'm not a child." She moved around the table, picking up her bag and lifting the strap over her head to hang across her body. "But if you want to come with me, I won't stop you."

Thane chuckled, holding his hand out toward the door, and Nevas smiled, leading the way. She turned off the lights as she passed the switch, leaving them in near darkness, only the pale, last light of the day filtering through her balcony doors. She reached out her hand, ready to open the door when a shadow fell across the hall, drawing Thane's attention.

He spun already reaching for his pistol, catching sight of the bulky silhouette of a human male framed in the glass of the balcony doors, a gun in his hand. Dropping low, Thane took Nevas with him to the floor, shoving her toward the back of the couch. "Get to cover."

Behind them, the door slid open as he slipped into the deepest shadows. Urging Nevas along with a hand on her back, he ignored the confused, panicked noises and biotic flickers coming from the asari. The whispered hiss of a silencer—just before the figure on the balcony stumbled back—alerted Thane to a second presence at the front door. Biotic energy flared to life around his hand, ready to release a Throw at the newcomer.

Glancing over his shoulder, he froze, biotic flames licking at his fingers, demanding to be released. "Siha." The word escaped him in a whisper, barely more than a confused prayer, the sight of her filling him with joy, even as the cold fury radiating from her filled him with dread.

Jasmine stepped over the threshold, her pistol wavering in her hand before she fired again, shattering the glass completely. The shot knocked the man on the balcony further back, the light hitting his face for the first time.

 _Leon._

The weapon fell from his hand, blood spreading across his white shirt from both shoulder and chest. Neither shot immediately fatal, succeeding only in disarming and disabling the man. Leon dropped to his knees, a look of surprise on his face, his hands flailing out to catch himself as he fell forward. Jasmine snaked her way around furniture, her gun trembling in her hand but her aim never leaving Leon. Thane released the biotic energy surrounding his fist, intending to intervene, move to her and try to make sense of it all; Leon might still be saved if this was all some terrible mistake. Nevas grabbed his arm, clinging to him, keeping him next to her.

"What's happening? Goddess what's happening?" Nevas' voice trembled with her fear. Her mouth fell open in shock. "Sierra?"

Thane glanced at the asari as she pushed herself to her feet. He held a hand out in warning, the look on Jasmine's face making him uncertain of her state of mind. "Stay there." He pried himself free from Nevas' grip and edged out after Jasmine tucking his pistol safely away. He took slow steps, circling around to her side, easing his way into her peripheral vision.

She didn't take her eyes off of Leon, but the twitch of her jaw told him she'd seen him. She kept moving until she stood in the balcony door, looking down at Leon now lying on his back. The look in her eyes was not that of a siha, not a protector serving at Arashu's will, but one sent to deliver death, heeding the call of Kalahira. Thane didn't know why, what Leon might've done to evoke the wrath he saw there, but it made her intentions perfectly clear. She unmistakably meant for him to die. Looking down on her prey, she leveled the pistol at Leon's head; her hand steady.

The man coughed, blood spraying from his mouth, covering his teeth when he _smiled_ at her. "Knew you had it in you, love." His gaze shifted, finding Thane's. "Take care of her."

"Go to hell." The words tore from her in a snarl, hissing between clenched teeth as she pulled the trigger one final time, putting a bullet in her handler's forehead. She lowered her gun to her side, but didn't move, remaining there looking down on his corpse.

"Sierra," Thane spoke gently, moving a little closer to her, hoping the alias reminded her of where she stood; whose ears might hear whatever she said.

She holstered her pistol and turned to look at him over her shoulder, letting him see for the first time the cut above her temple and the angry, swollen bruise on the left side of her face. He sucked in a breath, glancing back down at Leon before returning his gaze to her. Her mouth opened as if to speak, but instead she dropped her gaze, swaying a little on her feet.

"Will somebody please tell me what in the name of the Goddess is happening?" Nevas' voice drew their attention as she peered over the back of the couch.

* * *

"Get her out of here." Her gaze flicked to Thane's for the briefest of moments; anything more and she'd break. She fucked up. She fucked up bad, and now people were dead; people who shouldn't be.

 _And one who should._

She'd have to pay the price; go back to the Alliance and face the music. There was too much at stake. As in potential war level shit. Not that turning herself in would change anything if it came down to it, but … she just had to, and if she looked at Thane right now, she'd only want to run. All it'd take is one touch from him, and she'd leave everything else behind her, ready to escape it all with him. She chanced looking at him again when he didn't move or speak, not quite meeting his gaze. "Please."

He took a step back, the weight of his gaze lingering on her a moment longer before he turned away, tucking his hands behind his back. "Of course."

She turned her back to the room, staring out into the last vestiges of daylight. A moment later she heard Thane's voice, soft, urgent, and reassuring as he convinced Nevas to gather her bags—already packed and waiting in her bedroom—and go with him to the docks. He promised her he'd get her an earlier departure and take care of everything else, she needn't worry about anything.

Some distant part of Jasmine wondered what he'd have to do, what sacrifice he'd have to make, to fulfill his promise. She heard Nevas agree, and breathed a sigh of relief. She'd have to think of something to tell the asari eventually, some story to explain why 'Sierra' just shot 'Adam' on Nevas' balcony and what he was even doing there to begin with, but for now … for now it was the least of her concerns.

Thane returned to her while Nevas gathered her things. Standing within easy reach but respecting her personal space, he left it up to her to make contact or not. When she didn't close the space between them, didn't reach out for him, he took one step closer and folded his hands behind his back, his voice low and practical, void of emotion. "Tell me what you need. How can I help?"

She took a deep breath, pushing back the tide of emotions threatening to sweep her away and built a dam to hold them at bay. "My omni-tool's broken. I need another to provide verification when I report his death. His will be keyed to his vitals, but I need to take it with me. His weapons, too, some of them are Alliance issued. I should probably pull him inside … I don't know if they'll try to retrieve him or not. I need to clear the apartment of our personal effects … clean up the blood …. He destroyed my laptop. I'll need to gather what evidence I can."

"Evidence?" The hint of confusion in his voice battered at her dam, threatening to rip the entire structure down.

She licked her lips and risked meeting his gaze. "There was no job. We weren't supposed to be here."

He lowered his gaze, studying the floor for a moment in silence before looking back up at her. "As soon as I've taken care of Nevas, I'll get a new omni-tool for you. If we move him with Nevas still here, it might upset her further. If you wait for me, I'll help you when I return."

Jasmine swallowed and nodded. "Thank you."

"Of course, siha." He dipped his head and stepped away.

Darkness fell completely as Nevas and Thane left, leaving her standing there alone with nothing but the moonlight to guide her. She wanted the lights off, it'd help keep prying eyes at bay; thankfully Thane knew it as well as her. Sucking in a deep breath, she crossed through the shattered balcony doors, glass sliding and crunching beneath her boots.

She stopped next to Leon, his features little more than soft lines and shadow in the night until she crouched down next to him. "You stupid sonofabitch." Lifting his arm, she slid his omni-tool from his wrist. "If you … you should've just run." She let go of his arm, letting it plop down across his chest. "I won't forgive you for this. Ever."

 _And what about your sister? She's waiting for you to help her with your father and you just … God, she'll never even know what happened to you. Why'd you do this? What the hell is wrong with you? Fuck!_

She sat the omni-tool aside before tugging and shifting, checking him over for anything else he might have on him, finding only a second gun secured at his back. Taking both of his weapons and his omni-tool, she made her way back into the apartment and set them on the table. Stepping into the bathroom, she grabbed a handful of towels, carrying them back to the balcony and tossing them over pools of blood.

In Nevas' room, she pulled the sheet from her bed, balling it up in her arms, she carried it back outside. Dragging the patio chaise lounge next to him, she draped the sheet around the furniture, arranging it out over his body. The shape of the lounge created bulk and unfamiliarity, breaking up what would otherwise clearly be a covered corpse to anyone who happened to look out a window. Shit, she should've covered him right away. Someone might've already seen; the cops already be on their way.

 _It's Illium, love. No one cares about one dead human._

"Fuck you. Get the hell out of my head," Jasmine muttered, glaring at the abstract patterned piece of cloth. She lifted her hand, her fingers trembling as she pushed loose tendrils of hair out of her face. Between her adrenaline crashing, having not eaten since earlier in the morning, and being hit in the head … she didn't feel so hot. "God damn you."

She supposed she'd just have to wait and see who showed up first: Thane or the police. A part of her wasn't really sure she cared, either way, her life ended the day Leon showed up on the Citadel. She made her way back into Nevas' apartment, standing in the living room, she stared blankly at the front door for a moment. Her legs felt weak, and her arms heavy. Her stomach grumbled, just in case she needed the reminder.

 _Why the hell not?_

Shuffling around the couch, she headed for the kitchen. The faint glow of digital numbers the only thing lighting her path as she felt her way around, relying on the few memories she had of being in Nevas' apartment the night of the gala. Opening the refrigerator, she blinked her eyes against the harsh glare of sudden light. She pulled out a bottle of pale green liquid and turned it around in her hands until she saw the label, confirming her suspicions. "Elasa. 'Sorrow's Companion.'" She snorted softly. "Perfect."

She sat the bottle on the counter next to her before reaching back inside the refrigerator, rifling around until she found something that looked like it'd be easy to eat and not taste like shit cold; some sort of leftover pasta dish. Digging around in drawers by the light of the refrigerator, she grabbed a fork before heading to the dining table with her finds.

* * *

Thane stood in the middle of his apartment. He'd asked Jasmine to wait next to the door the moment he realized something was off. He wanted a chance to look around, confirm his suspicions before he told her he thought Leon had been in his apartment. Beyond exhausted, she didn't need anymore put on her if avoidable. Moving from room to room, he let his gaze roam, stopping on every object sitting slightly askew, not quite matching his memories of the last time he was home.

"He was here, wasn't he?" Her voice carried every ounce of defeat he'd seen in her face the entire night.

Taking a deep breath, he turned to look at her. "Yes, but don't let it concern you, siha. There's nothing here for anyone to find."

She sat her gun case down next to her feet and held a hand to her forehead. "You should make sure he didn't leave anything behind." She dropped her hand to her side, tears welling up in her eyes before she blinked them away. "Jesus, Thane. I'm so sorry. For all of this mess."

Thane moved to her, barely having the chance to reach for her before she leaned into him, tucking her arms between them and pressing her forehead to his chest. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and kissed the top of her head. "You have nothing to apologize for, Jasmine. I told you when I followed you here I knew the risks, and my only concerns were for you. Nothing has changed." Sliding a hand up, he gently kneaded the tight muscles at the back of her neck. "Siha … what happened?"

She took a deep breath and splayed her fingers out over his chest, tilting her head back to look at him. "It's a long, complicated story and I desperately want a shower."

He smiled, running the tips of his fingers along her jaw. "I'll lay a towel out for you."

She rewarded him with a smile of her own, the first he'd seen all night. "Thank you."

He let her go, heading into the bathroom where he opened the cabinet. Finding everything exactly where he left it, he pulled out a towel and laid it on the counter within easy reach of the shower. Reaching back inside, he grabbed the extra bottle of herbal supplements he kept on hand in case Jasmine needed them while at his apartment. After seeing hers crushed on her bedroom floor, he expected to find the same in his bathroom. It appeared Leon hadn't bothered to come into the bathroom, though, and the safety seal on the bottle remained intact. He sat the bottle down next to the towel and left the room.

Jasmine knelt on the floor in front of her bags, digging through them as she pulled out various bottles and articles of clothing. She glanced up as he came out and smiled at him again. Seeing some of the bitter control drain from her face soothed his soul a little. He'd fought himself all evening, forcing back his own emotions to accommodate her. He'd seen her struggle to keep her own battle sleep tight around her, and as much as he wanted nothing more than to comfort her, he understood she needed the emotional distance for the time being. The sight of tears in her eyes, even if she refused to let them spill down her cheeks, and her willingness to fold herself in his arms moments before felt like rays of hope to him. Her smile, though fragile and worn thin, felt like a whispered promise, telling him she would indeed be alright.

He sat down at his desk and opened his computer, leaving her to gather her things and shower. Where it might not be to others, it was obvious to him Leon spent time in Thane's chair, using his laptop, undoubtedly searching for further proof of his identity and his relationship to Jasmine. She'd mentioned the implication in Leon's words that he knew Saman wasn't his real name. What exactly Leon did know stayed a mystery, one he prayed remained as such with the man dead.

Thane still didn't have a complete picture of what transpired in RetCorp, how or when Jasmine came to realize the assassinations hadn't been sanctioned, or precisely what led her to take such violent actions against her handler—actions he wasn't entirely certain were … necessary. The lack of information didn't leave him without theories, however, most of which he pieced together when he saw the state of her apartment.

There'd very clearly been a struggle, and Thane suspected the injuries to her face were inflicted by her handler, as well as other injuries he couldn't see with his own eyes but her movements betrayed. The idea of Leon harming Jasmine deeply upset Thane, the bond between handler and assassin could only be built on deep trust, and her handler violated her trust in the worst ways possible.

He found Leon's actions even more disturbing considering the intimate history between the two. Loathe to admit it, Thane knew if Leon were still alive, he'd be hard pressed to maintain his composure with the man. The mistreatment of her personal property, in particular the herbal supplements, added to Leon's suggesting he knew something of Thane, left him with a cold feeling in the pit of his stomach. He dreaded learning just how much his relationship with Jasmine played into the day's events.

"What are you doing?" Her voice came from a meter away, drawing his attention back to her.

He glanced over his shoulder to find her crossing the floor, coming to stand beside him. "I thought I might start gathering information for you while you shower. Unless there's something more pressing, some other task you want me to start on?"

"You don't have to do this." She lifted a hand to his shoulder. "Any of this. It's my mess to clean up."

"I want to help, siha, and this is one of the few ways I can." He turned his gaze back to his computer. "Do you mind if I reach out to my contact? He might be able to assist with some of this."

"Only if you promise to let me handle his expenses this time." She squeezed his shoulder a little.

Thane glanced back at her, chuckling as he dipped his head. "If you insist. He's been trying to convince me to make an introduction between the two of you. He seems very keen on the idea of widening his clientele." He tilted his head to the side. "Though I suspect he's more interested in meeting the human who's captured my interest."

She shrugged, her lip twitching a little with thought. "Normally this is the sort of thing I'd go to a liaison with, but it never hurts to have an ace in the hole." She snorted softly when he dipped his brow in confusion. "Uh, a secret play; a backup plan."

"Ah. Indeed. I'll let Theodus know you're open to meeting him, then." He kissed the top of her hand still sitting on his shoulder. "Go, have your shower. I'll make _cinuela_ when you're finished, if you like."

She brushed her thumb over his lips and sighed. "Okay. I won't be long." Her hand trailed away as she turned, walking toward the bathroom. "Even though I feel like spending a year in a hot bath. I ache everywhere."

"Take as long as you need, siha." He watched her step into the bathroom, smirking at the noncommittal grunt of a noise she made as the door closed behind her, absently noting she left it unlocked.

* * *

Jasmine leaned against the shower wall, letting the scalding spray wash away the blood, sweat, and grime from her body, wishing it'd cleanse her mind as well. She'd already made the call to her liaison from her apartment, sending the woman photos of Leon's body and the injuries dealt to her at his hand. She'd struggled to stay composed as she provided as much detail as she could afford to share about her time on Illium …the look on her liaison's face as she went back over the details, confirming Jasmine had in fact been the one to kill Leon—one of their own—somehow felt far worse than actually pulling the trigger.

Someone higher up in command would contact her—probably in the morning but maybe sooner—with orders on how to proceed. She'd better be ready with whatever proof of Leon's crimes she could pull together and a damn good explanation as to why she left him with so many holes. If she were being completely honest with herself, she could've taken Leon with one shot. It'd be easy to pretend between her blatant concussion and needing to protect innocent civilians she did the only sure thing under the circumstances, disarmed him first … but it'd be a lie to say she wasn't working out some anger issues with her second shot. She knew it wouldn't hit the heart, wouldn't be a kill shot, but she took it anyway. That tidbit definitely wouldn't be included in her report.

And Thane, God bless him for wanting to help. Truth be told, she didn't know if she'd be able to handle this on her own. Not _this._ Not having come to realize her culpability in the deaths of so many. Not having killed Leon, no matter how necessary her actions were. Yet having him there made it all somehow harder. Harder to keep her emotions at bay, and … harder to not feel shame for how she handled those final moments with Leon.

There was still so much to do, though. She'd be foolish to turn down his help. Hell, anyone's help. The whole thing turned into such a colossal fuck up, and she felt like she'd drown dealing with it by herself. She definitely had a long night ahead of her, no matter how exhausted she already felt. She took a deep breath and picked up her shampoo, she really didn't want to be in there long, not while he sat out there working to clean up her mess.

As soon as she turned off the water she heard Thane's voice, his words muffled and indistinct. She assumed he must be speaking with Theodus and decided to stall; she wasn't really in the mindset to meet new people at the moment. She took her time drying off, dressing, and brushing her hair before brushing her teeth, using the running water to swallow a dose of the supplements he'd left out for her. If ever there a night existed she needed to be wary of her addiction's ugly voice whispering in the back of head, it was this night.

Still hearing him talking in the other room, she sighed and gave up, opening the bathroom door. Thane turned and glanced over his shoulder at her, giving her a look at the other drell on his laptop screen. She knew drell varied in coloration as much as humans, but she wasn't quite prepared for the snow white scales or the blood red eyes staring back at her. Still, she forced a smile on her face when he flashed his own at her and put one foot in front of the other when Thane held his hand out, beckoning to her.

"Ah, good. Perhaps you can answer Theodus' questions better than I, if you're feeling up to discussing matters." Thane stood as she approached, offering her his chair.

She nodded, taking a seat, pulling the chair a little closer to the desk, and turned her gaze up to Thane. "Might as well, needs done."

He frowned but nodded. "I'll make _cinuela_. Are you hungry, would you like anything else?"

She cocked an eyebrow at him, feeling a smile tug at her lips.

He chuckled, his frown disappearing. "Allow me to rephrase my question: what else would you like?"

"Whatever's easiest is fine, thanks." She let her smile spread, feeling herself relax a little more at the sound of his laugh. Maybe he'd make things a little easier if she let him.

He dipped his head. "Of course."

She turned her attention back to the unfamiliar drell on the screen as Thane walked away, knowing he'd be listening from the kitchen. "Hi."

"Hello, and forgive me but I must ask what to call you." Theodus leaned back in his chair, folding his hands over his stomach as he turned the chair slowly back and forth, the weight of his gaze never leaving her. His head turned enough for her to catch sight of the washed out red and yellow markings along the sides and top of his head, the pentagon etched in pale red on his forehead barely visible in the low light around him. "I'm afraid Krios has been rather ambiguous when it comes to you, artfully avoiding using your name, and going so far as to make it clear he'd be personally offended if I looked into you deeper." One corner of his mouth lifted in a sly grin. "Which quite possibly makes you the most interesting person I've ever met."

She snorted softly. "I'm really not."

Thane appeared in the kitchen doorway. "Her name isn't mine to give you, Theodus. She only knows yours because you requested the contact." He gave her a reassuring smile. "Now be nice, she's had a difficult day."

"I'm always nice." Theodus winked at Jasmine, something she'd most definitely never seen Thane do before, earning him a raised eyebrow which only widened his smile.

"Be nicer." Thane disappeared into the kitchen again.

She turned her attention fully back to Theodus. "My name is Jasmine."

His brow ridges lifted. "Ah, so there is something to the story ' _GunForHire'_ mentioned on your thread. Do you prefer Jazz?"

She sucked on her teeth. "Only if you prefer your knee with a bullet lodged in it."

Thane's chuckle sounded from the kitchen a heartbeat before Theodus' full-bodied laugh. She smiled, leaning back in her chair. Under different circumstances, she might actually enjoy a conversation with Theodus. Pity she'd probably only ever speak to him when the shit hit the fan, leaving her in no mood for idle chit chat.

"Quite interesting." He leaned forward, his hands moving to his keyboard. "I'll take that as a 'no.'" Smile fading, he cleared his throat. "Krios has given me the rough details: your handler brought you in on an invalid contract, resulting in the deaths of twenty-one people—"

"What?" She leaned forward, all of her muscles tensing once more. "How many people?"

Theodus paused, his gaze averted from the camera but still focused on his screen, showing her the hints of the whites of his eyes, turning the red a milky pink but leaving the color of his irises indiscernible, and inseparable from his pupils. After a moment he turned his attention back to her. "The final RetCorp body count on all news network sites and the IPD file servers is twenty-one dead."

Leaning back hard enough for the chair to rock, she pressed her hands to her face. "Jesus fucking Christ."

"You expected a different number?" He asked, drawing her attention back to him.

"Yeah … I counted eighteen total. Which explains why he didn't show at the initial rendezvous." She sucked in a deep breath, her mind swimming with fatigue as it tried to put the pieces together. "Anything on the locations of bodies?"

He nodded. "I'll add it to my report." All traces of humor gone from his face and voice, he hesitated, seeming to weigh his words. "If you can verify for me the names of the intended targets, I can construct profiles for you, linking them to whatever person or event your handler claimed caused contracts to be put on them, if such a link exists, if you'd like. The more information you can give me, the better."

"Excuse me a moment?" She pushed her chair back from the desk.

"Sure." He nodded, turning his attention back to whatever else he had on his screen.

Thane met her in the kitchen doorway. "Is everything alright, siha?" He kept his voice low, concern coloring his tone.

"I—how well do you trust him?" She scraped her teeth over her lip, finding the cut just inside her lower lip, prodding it with her tongue.

"I've worked with him for many years, he's earned my trust in these matters. He's discrete. Whatever information you give him is safe." He waved a hand at nothing in particular. "He does have a tendency to ask irrelevant questions simply because he's a curious individual, but I wouldn't have you speak with him if I doubted his intentions."

"Okay." She raked a hand through her damp hair before shaking it out. Her eyebrow twitched when she caught the flare of his nostrils and the slight darkening of his frills a moment later. Smiling she stepped a little closer to him before leaning in and pressing her lips to his, savoring his warmth and suddenly wanting nothing more than to crawl into bed next to him and sleep. Yes, he'd definitely make things easier, and she'd let him.

His hand found her hip as he returned her kiss, gentle and undemanding. When she stepped away, turning to go back to the desk, his hand snagged hers, pulling her back to him. He traced her jaw with his fingers. "I love you, siha."

She smiled lifting up on her toes to kiss him again. "I love you, too."

* * *

The absence of the gentle weight of her head cradled in the crook of his arm and of her hand resting on his chest woke him from his sleep, meager as it were. He reached out for her, but she wasn't there. Sitting up, he looked around the bedroom, and not finding her, he tossed off the covers and left the bed, turning the lights on dim as he made his way from the room.

He found her standing in front of the window in the living room, the blinds drawn back. A rather precarious position for one so accustomed to sniper rifles to take, but he understood the draw of the city lights when one felt alone and lost. She'd fallen asleep only two hours before, after words and even tears abandoned her. He should be surprised to see her awake again so soon, but somehow he wasn't, instead he felt disappointed. He'd hoped she'd be able to get the sleep she so desperately needed, but he suspected on a night like this, she'd normally resort to alcohol or sleeping pills, and he had neither. He gently cleared his throat as he neared, not wanting to startle her.

Her head twitched toward the noise, but she didn't face him, instead continuing to stare out the window, her hands resting on her shoulders. "Did I wake you?"

He slid his arms around her waist, easing her back against his chest and rested his chin next to her hand on her shoulder. "No."

She snorted, moving her hand down to hold his arm against her. "Liar."

He scoffed, turning his head to kiss just behind her ear, taking note of the hitch in her breath. "Your absence woke me, it's hardly the same thing."

She hummed, her fingers caressing his arm.

"Is there anything I can do?" He gazed out over the city, just like the Citadel, things never really settled on Illium. It never felt truly peaceful there.

Her back expanded against his chest, her shoulder rising beneath his chin as she took in a deep breath, holding it a moment before letting it seep out of her. "Tell me not to do this. Tell me to tell the Alliance to fuck off and disappear, fall off their radar. Tell me to run away with you instead."

Pain lanced through his chest, burning him worse than any fire. Oh, how he wanted to tell her those things. How he wanted to beg her not to leave him, knowing it very well might be the last time he'd ever see her … knowing a terrible fate might await her. But he couldn't; he wouldn't, because it wouldn't be fair to the honorable woman he saw in her and in the end, she'd hate herself, and it'd kill them both. "Siha …."

"Shh. I know." She turned her head, pressing the side of her face against his. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything. It wasn't fair to either of us."

He tightened his grip on her. "If I could do this for you, I would."

She lifted her hand, her fingers brushing over the other side of his face. "I'd never ask you to, never let you." Reaching out, she closed the blinds before turning in his arms. "You understand why I have to do this, don't you?"

He pushed a lock of hair behind her ear, pressing his palm to her face. "I do, and I admire your strength and your loyalty."

She smiled at him, all traces of the anguish she expressed earlier absent from her gaze, at least in the low light. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pulled him to her, her mouth finding his. Her lips moved against his, slow and gentle at first, but soon with building urgency, her tongue flicking against his lips, enticing his to join it. Her scent intoxicated him, sweeping away the last of the burning in his chest, replacing it with a whole other kind of warmth, sending it coursing through his veins.

He moaned without meaning to, and it only seemed to encourage her. She pressed her body against his, one hand exploring the curves of his shoulder and arm, the other finding its way to his frills. He moaned again, his body already making demands of him he didn't know if he had yet prepared himself to heed. He didn't know if it'd be wise for either of them, all things considered. Oh, but he wanted her, wanted to know every part of her, and if she wanted this, wanted him as badly, then timing be damned. He might never see her again.

She pulled away, her chest heaving. Licking her lips she met his gaze, her fingers kneading at him with what felt like barely restrained desperation. "I want—I _need_ you." She brought her mouth nearer, her lips hovering just out of reach. "Don't make me beg," she whispered, her voice hoarse.

"Never." He reclaimed her mouth with renewed vigor, sliding a hand under her shirt, fingers splayed across the warm, soft skin of her back.

* * *

Jasmine lifted a hand to the back of his head. Her brain—still swimming in hormones—struggled to process what just happened. Everything was going wonderful, he felt amazing beneath her, inside of her, better than she imagined … and then he just checked out. A moment later he started talking … describing the colors of Irikah's scales and the feel of being inside of her, the taste of her tongue and the sensation of her breath across his neck, heating his frills.

"Siha, I'm …" His forehead rocked back and forth against her shoulder, his fingers clinging to her sides. "... forgive me. Please, forgive me." She heard the threat of tears in his cracking voice.

"Hey." She tugged at his crest, but he didn't look up at her. "Hey, look at me."

He took a deep breath, tilting his head back, meeting her gaze with troubled eyes; emerald irises just visible in the dim light. It's what she wanted, to be able to see his eyes when he looked up at her; it was one of the reasons she'd crawled on top of him, despite her aches and pains, instead of letting him take the reins. Now the desperation and despair she saw there ripped through her heart.

She pressed her other hand against his face, her thumb brushing over his cheek and jaw. "It's alright. You didn't do anything wrong."

"I did. I thought I could …." He shook his head, dropping his gaze. "My deepest apologies." His hands slid away from her, his shoulders sagging.

She rested her forehead against his. "Thane, stop apologizing. It wasn't something you meant to do, right?"

"Of course not!" He pulled back enough to meet her gaze again. "Siha, I'd never intentionally do something so callous, so hurtful to you."

"Then you have nothing to apologize for." She brushed her lips against his. "I'm not hurt." And she wasn't. A younger version of her might've been, once upon a time, but not anymore. She kissed him again, this time she felt his lips purse against hers. "I promise," she whispered against his mouth, rolling her hips a little, feeling him twitch inside of her in response. A small moan tickled her throat and she swallowed, moving against him a little more, testing the waters. "Do you want me to stop?" God she didn't want to stop, but if he needed her to, she wouldn't push.

He made a raspy sound, his hand coming to rest on her hip. She leaned back, finding the spark of lust returning to his gaze. Running her hands over his shoulders, she pushed herself up a couple of centimeters, fighting back the urge to tighten around his length. He sucked in a ragged breath, his fingertips pressing into her hip.

She held her position there. "You have to tell me if you want me to stop."

He leaned into her, his other hand splaying out over her back. "No." His voice croaked and he licked his lips. "I don't want you to stop." He tugged on her hip, pulling her down while lifting himself up to meet her.


	26. Epilogue: 2179

**Epilogue: 2179**

 _Leon pressed the muzzle of his gun against her temple. "The next time you find yourself wondering if I ever loved you … I want you to think of this moment." Reaching out with his left hand, blood trailing down his arm, soaking through his shirt, he cupped her cheek, smearing warm blood over her face as he wiped away her tears. He smiled, his eyes cold and hard when she jerked away from his touch. "Think about this moment, when despite all of your betrayals, I let you live."_

 _He reared back—_

Jasmine sucked in a gasping breath, filling her nostrils with patchouli and mint. Her eyes shot open, and her heart pounded in her chest; the memory of the butt of Leon's gun flying toward her face sent every nerve into overdrive. Thane's scent cut through the haze, wrapping around her like a gentle caress, pulling her back to the present and the feel of his embrace. She nearly sobbed with the sudden relief washing over her.

Then she remembered: she killed Leon. Squeezing her eyes closed again, she pressed herself closer against Thane's side, begging sleep to reclaim her. Too late. Far too late, her mind raced through everything from the day before, reminding her of all the people who died—everyone she killed—because of Leon's vendetta.

Thanks to Theodus, she'd learned even more than she originally thought were killed in the chaos. Only it wasn't exactly chaos. Once Theodus provided her with a list of the names of the dead, Jasmine didn't even need to know where they were located in RetCorp to know what happened. Myrev Iasir and Corliava Kesus, the two asari Leon and Jasmine spent time with at the gala, as well as the third asari, Halani Atra, from their investment meeting … all three listed among the dead. It got worse; before Leon went after Thane and Nevas, he took a detour to the home of Drulius and Laeria Canso. He left the turians dead at their dining room table. Thank God the couple didn't have children; who knew what Leon might've been capable of in his state of mind?

She'd hand it to Theodus, though, the drell earned his pay twice over, easily. Worth every credit. Damn good at what he did, she easily saw why Thane kept him around. With his help, she had everything she thought she'd need to argue her case with the Alliance. They found evidence tying RetCorp back to the hit on Jasser Solomon, information on the roles played by the original six asari, and perhaps most importantly, evidence Leon was Jasser Solomon's son. At the very least, it'd be enough to convince the Alliance to look through Leon's files and follow the breadcrumbs themselves.

Thane's arm tightened around her and she sighed. Running her fingertips over the scales of his chest, she opened her eyes, turning her face up to find his gaze. The soft light filtering through the diaphanous curtains caught on his face, creating a blur of a halo around him, leaving a sheen on his scales. The dark pools of his eyes drew her attention, and she could almost feel herself slipping away, getting lost inside of them.

 _God, he's beautiful._

Something wasn't quite right. She blinked her eyes a few times trying to clear her eyes and mind of the last few remnants of sleep, but they stubbornly clung to her, giving everything around her an ethereal quality she couldn't quite shake. "Oh," she whispered as realization dawned.

His brow dipped in concern, the motion creating new shadows on his face to draw her gaze. "Siha?"

She was high on his venom, and it only took her a moment to understand why. Her herbal supplements, long since worn off, weren't protecting her from the sticky residue their lovemaking left behind inside of her. She licked her lips, some part of her mind telling her she ought to be concerned, but for some reason, she didn't feel anything close to the panic that wrapped itself around her throat last time. This didn't seem so bad, something light and mellow instead of harsh and consuming. Maybe the supplements weren't all the way out of her system, or maybe she'd already soaked up and metabolized most of the venom in her sleep. Either way, it wasn't so bad, definitely not overwhelming, and certainly not enough to chase her from his side.

She pressed her palm flat against his chest, delighting in the feel of his heart beating beneath her hand, and smiled. "Morning."

"Jasmine, your eyes … perhaps you'd like for me to get—"

"It's okay." She slid her hand to his waist. "I'm okay. Just stay here with me for a little bit longer."

He lifted his hand, brushing hair back out of her face. "As long as you want."

* * *

Her omni-tool vibrated against her wrist, and she sat her juice back on the table. She looked at the number on her screen before glancing at Thane and taking a deep breath. "Excuse me, I have to take this in private."

He dipped his head. "Of course, siha."

Jasmine left the table and went into the bathroom, making sure the door closed behind her before answering the call. The screen lit up, showing a woman in a navy suit sitting sideways, tapping mauve-lacquered nails on the dark, glass surface of the desk in front of her. Her blond hair, twisted back in a tight bun, pulled at her temples, adding to her severe stare.

"Shepard, I presume?" Tap tap tap, her fingers worked the desk. She arched a sculpted eyebrow.

"Yes, ma'am." Jasmine squared her shoulders, spine stiffening of its own accord as instinct and training recognized the authority the stranger held over her.

The woman watched Jasmine, green eyes piercing, pinning her in place. The older woman pursed her lips before sucking her teeth and waving a finger in Jasmine's direction. "Harding did that to your face?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Hmm." She pressed her lips together into a thin line and turned her chair to face Jasmine fully. "A team is already in place on Illium. They've retrieved Harding's body and are working now to clean up the rest of your mess. I want you out of Saefos Valley. You have two hours, it should be more than enough time to gather your things and take a shuttle to Nos Astros. You'll contact your liaison when you arrive and lay low while you await further instructions. When the team is finished, you'll be contacted again, at which point you'll meet them and they'll escort you back to Earth. If you don't show at the appointed location and time, they have leave to hunt you down and bring you in by force. I suggest you don't make them, Shepard."

Jasmine jerked her head in a sharp nod. "Of course, ma'am. I'll be there."

* * *

She wrapped her arms around his waist, and stepped into him. "You're still going to Kahje, right?"

"I gave you my word. I've every intention of doing whatever it takes to ensure I have as long as possible with you and—someday, when he'll speak to me again—with Kolyat." He rubbed his hand up and down her back, and she pressed her cheek against the soft leather of his vest. "I've no reason to linger on Illium; I'll leave tonight."

"Good." She pulled back enough to look up into his eyes. "I don't know what they're going to do, Thane. You know … it's possible … they might put me in prison indefinitely."

Lips pressing tight in one suppressed emotion or another, he lifted a hand to her face. "I'm prepared to wait as long as it takes; so long as I draw breath."

She sighed, the weight of his words weighing heavy on her shoulders and gouging another chunk from her bleeding heart. "I don't want you to. I mean, I'm not saying don't wait at all … but there's got to be a point when if I don't come back … you've got to let me go. I don't want to be the thing you torture yourself with. Or the reason why you shut everyone and everything else out."

A strangled, gentle cough caught in his throat and he tilted his head a little to the side. "Siha, I …."

Licking her lips, she shook her head. She couldn't leave him thinking the second she stepped out of the door he'd wrap himself in his battle sleep and just disappear from life, refusing to let anyone in until she either returned to him or he died. "Promise me."

He lowered his gaze, tears welling up in his eyes as he pressed a hand to the center of his chest. Blinking, both sets of eyelids, he pushed the tears away before meeting her gaze again. Voice raw, rough enough to feel like sandpaper over her wounded soul, he said, "You have my word."

"Thank you." Leaning into him again, she pressed her lips to his mouth.

After returning her kiss, he rested his forehead against hers, taking slow, steady breaths. "Are you sure you don't want me to come to Nos Astra with you?" He pulled back, finding her gaze again. "It sounds as if you'll be there waiting for awhile."

"It's too risky. They might have someone watching, waiting for me to show up." She could tell by the twitch at the corners of his eyes he'd already thought of the possibility but considered himself willing to take whatever chances she dared to take herself. She'd risked him enough, though, putting one of her own on his scent already. No way would she gamble with his life again. "I can't even let myself be seen leaving here, not with everything else happening." She forced a smile on her face and a teasing lilt to her voice. "Don't worry, though, as soon as they're done with me, I'll hunt you down. I promise."

It did the trick, pulling a smile and a soft chuckle from him. "I look forward to the chase."

"I have to go." She squeezed him a little tighter, fighting back her own tears when she turned her face up to him to be kissed. "I love you."

"And I you."

* * *

Letting her walk away was one of the hardest things he'd ever done. He stood there, his hands hanging helplessly at his side, the minutes ticking by as he stared at the door praying it'd open again. He shamed himself and he shamed her, but he knew if she did come back, he'd beg her to never leave his side. The smell of her still lingered, reaching inside of him and wrapping itself around every fiber of his being. How had she managed to slip through his battle sleep and consume him so completely?

He forced his feet to move, turning aimlessly, he let his gaze roam over the apartment, desolate without her. She'd return to him, he must believe, needed to have faith that Arashu would return his siha to him. He'd breathe in her scent fresh from her skin and hair, taste her lips, and feel her body pressed against his again. And until then, he had the memories of her to get him through the long nights. It amazed him he ever thought of her as a punishment.

 _This … this feels like the punishment, perhaps this was always the intent. To give me someone to love again, only to take her away. No. She will return to me; I mustn't allow fear to diminish my faith._

Taking a deep breath, he went into his room, her smell so much stronger in there. He opened the window, welcoming the cleansing breeze. Slipping off his jacket and vest, he lowered himself to the floor, folding his legs beneath him. An hour in meditation to clear his mind, and then he'd be better prepared for what he must do next.

* * *

"Jasmine? What time is it? What's wrong?" Geoffrey switched on the bedside lamp, giving her a view of Karin sleeping soundly next to him.

She sucked in a shuddering breath and wiped at her wet eyes. "Can you … can you go to your office?"

"Sure, give me just a minute." He turned off the light again, and made his way through the dark room. The dim light of the hallway cast shadows over him as he left his bedroom, and a few moments later, the brighter light of his office fully illuminated his face. With the door closed behind him, he sat down in the arm chair behind his desk and turned his attention fully on her. "Talk to me, kid. I don't think I've seen you cry since that asshole Leon broke your heart."

Jasmine snorted, swiping a thumb under her eyes again, finding the idea hit a little too close to home. Taking a deep breath, she glanced around the empty shuttle. "I fucked up," she whispered, fresh tears welling up at alarming speeds to spill over her cheeks with scorching heat. She sniffed and wiped her eyes again. "Bad. I can't … God, I can't tell you what happened. I really wish I could, but I can't put this on you."

"How can I help, Jasmine? Tell me what you need me to do," he said, his voice steady and sure, filled with a faith in her she never thought she deserved from him or anyone else.

"You can't. Not really. I just … I can't go radio silent on you without telling you _something_. It's a … legal issue. I don't know how bad it is just yet, but there's a chance I'm in serious trouble. I'm on my way to meet my escorts now, and I probably won't be able to contact anyone until at least after the Alliance determines whether I'm going to be held responsible for this incredibly fucked up situation."

Geoffrey let out a long, slow breath and pinched the bridge of his nose before spreading his thumb and finger out over his closed eyelids. "Christ. What should I tell Karin and the kids?"

She shook her head, pulling her shoulders up so high they nearly touched her ears. "I don't know." She swallowed, trying to fight back the tears but her voice cracked and the floodgates opened. "I don't know. I don't know."

"Hey, hey, it's alright. I'll think of something."

* * *

How long were they going to keep her waiting? Were they testing her, did they want her to run? The option still stood. It'd be easy to call Thane and tell him she changed her mind, tell him she wanted to go with him to Kahje. But they'd chase her, find her … and either bring her in kicking and screaming or put her down like a rabid dog. Maybe him, too.

She stared at her omni-tool, willing the call to come through and end her misery. The waiting and uncertainty felt like being drawn and quartered; pulled in too many directions at once. Her omni-tool remained stubbornly silent, leaving her to stew in her self-pity and doubt for awhile longer. Letting her gaze roam over the walls of the cheap motel, she took in the abstract paintings and tried to think about something else. Anything else.

Laying back on the bed, she took stock of all her aches and pains, reminding herself of how much worse it could be. Leon caught her dead to rights, by all accounts it should be her lying dead in their apartment floor instead of him on Nevas'. So why didn't he? Hell, maybe he did love her in his own sick, twisted way, but he had to know … _had to know_ she'd come after him if he left her alive, all things considered.

 _Doesn't really matter now, does it?_

Her omni-tool vibrated against her wrist, startling her out of her rumination. She sat up, opening the glowing, orange screen and swallowed. Gathering her courage, she accepted the call and took in the unfamiliar man's face in silence. Dark brown eyes studied her, sweeping over every centimeter of her face with a cold, calculating measure leaving her certain the odds weren't stacked in her favor and wouldn't be anytime soon.

"Nos Astra Commercial Spaceport. Dock thirty. One hour." He watched her until she nodded her understanding, and then he cut the call, leaving her screen dark.

"Fantastic." Jasmine closed her omni-tool and took a deep, calming breath, imagining herself pulling it all the way down to her toes before letting it out nice and slow.

Gathering her things, she checked out of the motel and took the first available shuttle. An hour wasn't much time to get to the spaceport, bypass customs and security, and make her way to the appointed dock; not in one of the busiest central hubs of trade and commerce in the galaxy, but she managed with a few minutes to spare.

One minute she stood alone, searching the docks for the face of the man who called her, and the next minute he appeared beside her. Her jaw twitched, everything inside of her wanting to lash out or run, but she willed herself to calm. Unsurprisingly, she still felt hidden eyes watching her. He brought back up, no doubt they'd taken up position in the catwalks with her in their sights. It's what she'd do.

"We're going in with the cargo until takeoff," he said, curt and to the point without so much as a hello. "We won't be on any official registries, but if anyone asks, your name is Katherine Hunter and you're returning your brother's body to Earth for burial."

Nausea swept of her, settling deep in the pit of her stomach. "Leon?"

"David Hunter is in a cryopod secured in the cargo of the _SSV Holmstead_." His gaze bore into her, his words left hanging in the air. "Once we board, you will surrender every weapon on your person or in your luggage, your omni-tool, and any of David's possessions you kept. Any questions?"

She pursed her lips. She didn't exactly expect a warm welcome, but being asked to pretend her dead handler—her former lover and the man she killed—was her brother seemed a little calloused. "What do I call you?"

His gaze shifted to the _Holmstead's_ open hangar where the crew and dock workers loaded crates onto the ship. "Michael Hunter."

Resisting the urge to scoff, she studied his profile. Ignoring the contrast in complexions between this man, herself, and Leon, they still looked absolutely nothing alike. No one would mistake them for family. "Another brother?"

His gaze flickered to her before going back to the ship. "Yes."

She allowed herself a soft snort. Whose great idea? "I suppose we're all adopted?"

Turning back to her her, he narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. "Is this funny to you?"

She gave him a slow shake of her head, and sucked on her teeth. "Not even a little. What about the others?"

He arched an eyebrow at her.

She tilted her head toward the catwalks. "Whoever's hiding in the shadows watching me through their scope."

"The only other person you'll meet and need to be concerned with is Jessica Hunter, my wife. She'll meet us on the ship later." He turned his attention to the open hangar door of the ship ahead of them. "Time to go, Katherine."

* * *

He'd spoken to Mouse; asked his most trusted of the drala'fa to spread the word to the others that both he and Jasmine would be unreachable for awhile. He hoped speaking on her behalf didn't upset her if she ever had the opportunity to hear of it, but he felt something needed to be said to the drala'fa. Especially when Mouse made a point of asking him if he ever found Jasmine again. He remained ambiguous with his explanations, and felt grateful toward the boy for not asking pressing questions.

He packed his few belongings, the handful of items he cared to take with him. Finding a forgotten, cloth-covered elastic band—a few strands of Jasmine's hair tangled and clinging to its surface—nearly robbed him of his breath. Pain flared to life in his chest, memories of her flooding his mind, unraveling him all over again. Taking a few deep, calming breaths, he tucked the elastic band and its trapped hairs into his pocket before forcing himself to continue on.

Now he sat in the fading light of Illium's day, packed bags waiting next to the door; the ship he scheduled to leave on didn't depart for another two hours. He imagined she'd already left the planet behind her, on her way back to Earth to be judged for crimes another's ill-conceived actions forced her to commit, each passing minute getting further and further away from him. He fought the urge to pull his battle sleep around him to escape the pain. He made his siha promises he intended to keep.

Opening his omni-tool, he placed a call to Rone, stilling his features into an inscrutable mask while the call connected. "Hello, Brother," he said when Rone's face filled his screen.

A light smile ghosted over Rone's lips and he dipped his head. "Brother, I am glad you called. I decided to take the liberty of researching hospitals on Kahje with advanced care in Kepral's Syndrome. I have a list prepared for you, if you care to look. There are a few specialty locations, the best of which is located here in Enkindler's Pass."

Thane cleared his throat, new emotions tugging at his carefully constructed wall. "I'm certain any of the others will do just fine. There's no need for me to come to Enkindler's Pass, I don't wish to intrude." He waved a hand, attempting to dismiss the overwhelming sense of humbleness brought on by Rone's generosity more than anything else. "Thank you, I'll gladly look over the list you've compiled, you have my gratitude for taking the time to look into this for me."

"The hospital in Enkindler's Pass is exceptional, I see no reason to dismiss it from consideration. The choice is, of course, yours, however. I would be interested to know what you decide. I will forward you the list now."

"I—Thank you, Rone." Thane dipped his head, understanding Rone's words for the invitation they were—the opportunity to be a little closer to Kolyat, to family, even if it didn't mean he'd be able to actually see them during his stay. "I'll consider each option carefully and inform you of my decision." He forced himself to return the other drell's smile, even if it hurt to do so. "I'm calling now, though, to inform you my business here is concluded and I'm scheduled to leave for Kahje in a couple of hours."

Rone blinked, surprise lifting his brow ridge. "This is excellent news. From my understanding, the sooner you begin treatment, the better the outcome."

For all of his kind gestures, it became clear to Thane that the man wasn't as prepared for Thane's return to Kahje as he seemed. "I apologize it's such short notice …."

"Not at all." Rone held up a hand, giving Thane a light shake of his head.

* * *

She'd barely slept the entire trip. Everytime she closed her eyes, she saw the pain in Thane's eyes as she told him goodbye. Whenever she drifted off, she saw one dead asari's face or another … or worse, Leon's. She couldn't even let herself mourn; her 'escorts' kept too close of a watchful eye over her. So she fought to keep her feelings at bay, wrapping herself in her cloak of nothingness she used when the time came to take down a target. Her simpler, maladjusted version of Thane's battle sleep—learned not just through Phantom training, but a shitty childhood, too. It served her well over the years. Kept her in one piece. Mostly. It was the only thing keeping her together now.

She sat alone in an empty, white room; nothing but the chair under her ass to keep her company. They didn't let her see where they took her, and with no windows, she couldn't make any guesses. Hell, she wasn't even sure whether it was night or day anymore. Someone brought her food and water—judging by the gnawing pit in her stomach—several hours ago. He'd leaned against the wall and watched her eat in silence, taking her empty dishes away when she finished. About an hour later, a woman came and took her to the restroom, standing just outside the stall while Jasmine relieved herself. Afterward, the woman patted Jasmine down and took her back to her room without a word.

The door opened, and Jasmine looked up. The blond woman who called her the morning before walked into the room carrying a datapad. Jasmine stood at attention, and the woman waved at her to sit back down. A man—not the same one who brought her food—walked in behind the lady, carrying another chair. He sat the chair down across from Jasmine and left again, leaving her alone under the narrow-eyed scrutiny of the blond in a pencil skirt and heels.

The woman rested her palm on the back of the chair, lacquered nails tapping away against the plastic surface, her gaze turned to the datapad. "You're being held on multiple charges of murder under the UCMJ Article one-eighteen. It should be clear these charges are subject to change as we review the available evidence provided by both yourself and those tasked with investigation of the incidences on Illium." She paused, glancing up at Jasmine. "Someone will be in shortly to show you to your new quarters for the foreseeable future. I suggest you make yourself comfortable, Shepard. You'll be here for awhile."

 **A/N:** Stay tuned for the second part of the series! Thank you everyone who's followed along with Jasmine and Thane's story. Your comments and favorite/follows have helped to keep me going!


	27. Prologue: Confinement

**Targeted Interference: The Chase**

 **Prologue: Confinement**

Three months. They kept Jasmine locked in a little room for three months. The vid screen behind reinforced, bullet proof glass only picked up Earth channels, and half of those were blocked. Heaven forbid she watch porn or some violent flick to pass the time. She just left it off most days. She never found anything on worth watching, and without a remote or an omni-tool, she needed to ask the guards to change the channels. Half the time they ignored the request anyway. They let her have a few old books, but she already read them all—twice.

At least the ventilation system worked well; lingering smells from food and bodily functions would drive anyone mad. The days between showers, she made do with giving herself a sponge bath at the sink, but it only made her long for the days of spending forty minutes beneath the steaming spray of a private shower whenever she wanted. She slept, exercised, ate, and relieved herself in her cell, but hey, they had the decency to put the toilet behind a partition and they took her out every other day for a shower.

Every few days or so, a guard would open her door, shackle her and take her to another room to sit her down in a chair across from the blond woman, whom Jasmine was only ever allowed to call Langston. Although, in her mind, the uptight woman simply became 'The Bitch'. Every time they brought her out, The Bitch spent the first few minutes staring at Jasmine in silence, the only sound in the room the increasingly annoying tap, tap, tap of her fingernails against the tabletop.

Then the questions started. Demanding. Accusing. Leading. Designed to trip her up.

"When did Leon Harding first make contact with you on the Citadel?"

"Who were the people you went to Illium to kill?"

"At what point did you realize Leon Harding was related to Jassar Solomon?"

"Who is Nevas T'sera?"

"Why did you abandon your post on the Citadel?"

"Why did you kill twenty-one people inside of the RetCorp building on Illium?"

"Who are Drulius and Laeria Canso?"

"What was the nature of your relationship to Leon Harding?"

"Why were you and Leon Harding at the residence of Nevas T'sera the night you killed Leon Harding?"

"Did you learn Leon Harding fabricated the dossiers for the alleged job before or after you killed twenty-one people on Illium?"

"Who is Saman Naol?"

"Why did you kill Leon Harding?"

"What did Leon Harding tell you about Jassar Solomon?"

"Did you take part in the killing of Drulius and Laeria Canso?"

"Where did the altercation between yourself and Leon Harding take place?"

"Did you kill Leon Harding because of a personal conflict between the two of you stemming from a past romantic relationship?"

"How did Leon Harding die?"

"Who else was present besides yourself, Leon Harding, and Nevas T'sera the night you killed Leon Harding?"

"Where are Nevas T'sera and Saman Naol now?"

"Were you present when Drulius and Laeria Canso were killed?"

"What caused the altercation between yourself and Leon Harding?"

And on, and on, and on. Still, it gave her something to look forward to. A break from the white walls and her own, never-ending thoughts. They never let her call anyone; she never got to write anyone. If not for Thane and the call she placed to Geoffrey before her escorts picked her up on Illium, she might die there, and no one would ever even know what happened. She didn't even really know anymore if they planned to actually put her on trial; maybe she already was and they just didn't bother telling her. Apparently things like civil rights, law, and due process didn't really apply to her anymore. And why should it? The Phantom program didn't officially exist. She'd be lying if she said being there didn't make her start to wonder why she didn't just cut her losses and run; why she ever thought turning herself in was the smart thing to do.

* * *

Thane lay in the hospital bed, a thin tube trailing between his arm and the machinery measuring out and administering a steady dose of saline and pharmaceuticals through the IV. His chest ached, each breath a struggle, but the doctors assured him this was to be expected. In a while, the nurse would come in and place the nebulizer mask over his mouth and nose before turning on the machine and leaving him to his memories of Jasmine once more.

He'd tried, at first, to engage in the idle conversations the nurses seemed trained to hold with their patients, but it took only a week for him to grow weary of them. Now, after being there for four weeks, he only answered their questions with politeness and waited for them to leave him again. He promised Jasmine he wouldn't close himself off from others, and he didn't, not completely, but he had little in common with the rotation of doctors and nurses, and one could only speak about the humidity levels within the domed city or the progress of the course of treatments so many times before they lost all taste for such mundane topics.

One of the nurses, a man named Hemot, would sometimes spend a few extra moments with Thane discussing religion and philosophy, or even reading to him from his prayer book while he underwent breathing treatments and couldn't speak himself. Those times were few, however, as Hemot was not always assigned as Thane's nurse, and when he did look after Thane, other patients required his attention as well. Even during those moments, Thane yearned to be left alone so he might think of his siha and pray for her safety.

Rone called, nearly every day now, and twice—much to Thane's surprise—he'd woken to find his brother-in-law sitting at his bedside. The visits were strained, awkward; they never had much to talk about. Still, it meant a great deal to him to see Rone in person, and Thane loved hearing about his son. Kolyat never spoke more than a few words to Thane, but he didn't think it coincidence the boy more and more frequently decided to enter his uncle's study during their conversations.

A gentle tap at the door announced the arrival of the nurse, and he turned his attention toward the noise. "Yes, come in."

The door slid open, and instead of the nurse, one of his doctors walked inside. Thane pushed himself up on the bed, the change in routine sparking concern, cold in the pit of his stomach. Dr. Sheal smiled at him, the gentle curve of her mouth reassuring him.

Moving to stand over him, she glanced down at her datapad. "It is good to see you again, Sere Nuara. I am told you have no interest in pain medications, I wonder if you are experiencing discomfort."

He relaxed back against his pillows. "The pain is manageable, thank you."

"This pleases me to hear. You seem to be taking well to the treatments, your progress is very promising. I believe we can move you to a rehabilitation facility to continue your treatments within a few days." She looked up from the datapad, meeting his gaze once more. "Your records do not indicate an address on Kahje. I would like to make arrangements for you, but I am uncertain if you have a preference in location."

Thane smiled, the idea of leaving the hospital pleased him immensely, even if a rehabilitation center didn't afford him the same level of privacy as if he rented his own apartment. "Anywhere in Enkindler's Pass is acceptable, thank you."

"Very good, I will make arrangements for you." Dr. Sheal looked over the readouts from the machines hooked up to him before nodding to herself. "I will leave you to rest, the nurse will be in momentarily to administer your triheptate."

He dipped his head to her. "Thank you."

"Of course," she said, making her way to the door. "You are quite welcome." With one last smile, the doctor left the room.

* * *

The guard shoved her down her into the chair, even though she didn't put up any resistance. She could kill him. Even in shackles, she could still kill him. Maybe even The Bitch, too, before anyone else made it to the room to stop her. Not that she would, but the thought helped keep her sane some days. Whereas The Bitch limited herself to glares and endless questions, the guards didn't restrain themselves quite so much, making their feelings for Jasmine perfectly clear. She'd killed one of their own when she shot Leon, and to them, it didn't matter why.

Oh, they didn't beat her or starve her, nothing so blatantly criminal. No, but they made sure to put the cuffs on a little too tight, grip her arm a little harder than necessary while moving her from room to room, and shove her in the direction they wanted her to go. She'd heard more than a few derogatory remarks about her passed back and forth between guards while changing shifts, and most nights a random, loud noise outside her cell woke her from sleep every couple of hours. On one occasion, a guard spit in her food right in front of her before handing her the tray. Jasmine grinned in his face and took her first bite—spit right on top—while he watched. It didn't happen again. Hell, there existed a time in her life when she'd literally eaten out of garbage cans and snorted red sand off the back of toilets in dirty truck stop bathrooms. She could handle a little spit.

They had to let her out eventually—at least it's what she kept telling herself—and then she'd keep her nose to the ground until her service contract expired. She wouldn't be renewing, no matter what terms they offered. The whole thing with Leon was fucked, but it wasn't her fault. She did the right thing—whether she loved Thane or not—he and Nevas didn't deserve to be wiped out to cover up Leon's mess. Drulius and his wife … Jesus, there's no other word for what Leon did to them other than cold-blooded murder. The turians weren't even tangentially connected to RetCorp, they died for no other reason than because Leon decided to pick a drunken fight with Drulius one night and then let the trashed turian crash on their couch. Yet the Alliance kept her locked away in a little room, not because of the mess with RetCorp, but because she stopped a psychotic killer who happened to be one of their own.

The Bitch began her tap, tap, tapping, and Jasmine took a slow, steadying breath before meeting her gaze and waited for the questions to start. Instead, a moment later, the door opened and a man in a suit walked in. He didn't say anything, only handed The Bitch an open laptop before turning around and walking out again. Setting the laptop on the table, she pressed a button and spun the laptop around to face Jasmine. A surprised hiss ripped its way free of her throat before she caught herself, reining in the sudden flood of grief and remorse.

Leon's face appeared on the screen, fresh blood smeared beneath his nose and across his chin. His nose, an angry shade of red and swollen, sat a little crooked on his face; new bruises mingling with old. He lifted a blood soaked washcloth to his face, wiping beneath his nose before sniffing, the sound wet and phlegmy. "This is Leon Harding, Phantom H35." He sniffed and wiped more blood from his face. "I'm on Illium with Phantom ACH35. She's here on my orders." The camera shifted to show Jasmine's prone form, unconscious, and with a fresh cut on her temple—Medi-gel still drying. He turned the camera back to his face. "Everything that happened here … everything that's still going to happen here, it's on me. Just me. I'm cleaning up the mess, tying up loose ends. Won't be anyone left to point the finger at us when I'm done."

His attention turned down, the camera shifting a little, showing his bare chest and the knife wound she'd left there. "See, love? All taken care of." Lifting his omni-tool back up to focus on his face, he smirked at the screen. "If she were awake right now, she'd tell you I've lost it, but she can't because I had to knock her out. She tried stopping me from finishing this thing, and I couldn't let her do that. She's smart, my Jasmine," he said glancing back down and away from the camera again, "she figured the whole thing out, she just got it a little too late to keep things from happening." He lifted his head, wiping at his face and sniffing once more before turning his attention back to the camera. "She's loyal to you assholes; maybe to a fault." He snorted and winced, a fresh trickle of blood starting to seep from his nose again. "See, she doesn't know yet—"

The Bitch leaned forward, hitting a button and pausing the vid, cutting Leon off mid-sentence. She turned the laptop back to her, her nails clicking against the keys. Jasmine clenched her jaw but said nothing, her mind spinning as she tried to figure out what angle The Bitch was playing and what she'd do next.

 _Doesn't know what yet? What the fuck did he say? What aren't you letting me see?_

"Our files do indicate Harding was Jasser solomon's son, and with Harding's own confession as well as what other evidence our investigation has turned up … you appear to be telling the truth, Shepard. At least part of the truth." She turned the laptop back around and pushed it a little closer to Jasmine.

Leaning against the table, Jasmine skimmed over the report on the laptop's screen, carefully guarding her expression. The report contained information about rumors of a cyberattack on RetCorp, thought to have occurred during the shootout. Whoever wrote the report stated they weren't able to verify the attack; RetCorp never filed an official report on the matter. They did, however, claim to have an inside source.

Jasmine forced a look of confusion on her face. Furrowing her brow, she jerked her shoulders up before letting them fall again. She shook her head as she returned her gaze to the older woman. "I don't know anything about this. Leon never said anything about messing with their systems, just asari targets."

"You expect me to believe it's a coincidence? RetCorp just happened to be attacked on two fronts, at the same time?" The Bitch cocked a perfectly sculpted eyebrow, but her expression didn't give much else away. She dragged the laptop back to her.

"Not what I said. I said I don't know anything about it." Jasmine shrugged, flopping back in her seat. "Might've been Leon, might've been someone else. Hell, by this report, might not of happened at all." She nodded her head at the laptop. "So … if you have the evidence you need to prove this thing was Leon's doing … why am I still here?"

The Bitch leaned forward, slowly pushing the laptop aside before clasping her hands together on the table in front of her. "You killed your handler, Shepard. You shot him three times, the final shot—the only lethal shot—at point blank range."

Jasmine clenched her jaw and sucked in a slow, deep breath. "He tricked me into going to Illium to kill people not sanctioned by the Alliance, caused a shit load of collateral damage, kicked my ass when I figured it all out, and then left me lying there, unconscious, to go kill innocent people who had _nothing_ to do with his fucking vendetta." She leaned forward, her jaw aching with the restraint of keeping her tone level. "I saved the life of an innocent woman, _after_ we already potentially ruined her life and career by using her as a means to get inside RetCorp. Tell me … if Nevas was human, would you be questioning my actions?"

* * *

"Sere Nuara, you have visitors." Hemot, pressed his back to the doorframe, turning to gesture out into the hall.

A moment later Rone stepped through, dipping his head at Hemot as he passed. After a few steps, he stopped, turning to look back over his shoulder. "Kolyat? If you have changed your mind, we do not have to stay."

 _Kolyat? He's here?_

Thane pushed himself upright, his stuttering heart making the machines beep enough to draw a concerned glance from the nurse at the door. And then, there he was, his son, stepping through the door. The strength of the urge to throw the covers off and rush to Kolyat, sweeping the boy up in his arms and crush his son to his chest, surprised him and nearly overwhelmed Thane's good sense. Kolyat cast a furtive glance at Thane before stopping next to his uncle and dropping his gaze to the floor. Hemot smiled at them before leaving the room, closing the door behind him.

Kolyat glanced at Thane, but again his gaze shifted away as he reached up, taking Rone's hand. "Hello, Father."

Thane swallowed, his mouth and throat dry. His voice croaked when he spoke, the undertone of longing and grief painful even to his own ears. "Hello, Kolyat. I am—I'm so very pleased to see you." He glanced at Rone, finding his brother-in-law watching the boy closely, a soft smile on his face. "Please, come in, sit down."

Rone pointed to the chairs next to Thane's bed, and Kolyat started walking, taking slow, hesitant steps until he reached the first chair—furthest from Thane—and sat down. When Kolyat let go of his uncle's hand, Rone moved to the other chair and took a seat, too. Thane shifted in the bed, as much as the monitors and IV allowed, to face the two of them. He hated being there, tied to the machines when his son sat just a meter away.

Kolyat took a deep breath and squared his shoulders, meeting his father's gaze. "Uncle Rone says you will be leaving the hospital soon."

"I will." Thane nodded. "I'll be moving to a rehabilitation center tomorrow to continue my treatments for a few months."

The boy's jaw tightened. "Then you will leave again." It wasn't a question, or even an observation, but an accusation—putting fire in Kolyat's eyes. "You always leave."

Thane winced, pressing his fist to his chest, dropping his gaze to the floor at his son's feet. "Kolyat, I …."

"Kolyat," Rone said, his voice soft but chidding, "we have spoken about this."

"No." Thane cleared his throat, forcing himself to meet his son's gaze. "He's right to be angry with me. Kolyat … I'm sorry, deeply and truly sorry. I failed you, and I failed your mother." Tears began to fill his eyes, and he swallowed, fighting to keep his voice level. "I wish I could give you answers, explain myself to you, but I can't. Perhaps, one day, when you are older, I'll be able to and earn your forgiveness." He blinked, and the tears began to fall. Clenching the sheet in his hand, he wished desperately Jasmine was there with him, lending him her strength through her presence. "My apologies, my son. I love you and always will, but yes, when the doctors have finished with me, I will leave Kahje again. I must. Just as you must stay with your mother's family where you will be looked after, cared for, and kept safe."

A soft whimper escaped Kolyat, tears rolling down his own cheeks. His lip quivered, and he turned to his uncle. "I would like to go now, please."

"Kolyat …." Fire exploded through Thane, the worst his chest ever felt. He knew air entered his lungs, but it felt as if he couldn't breathe, the flames threatening to consume him completely. Still, all he cared about was the child sitting across from him, just out of reach in every way that mattered. His hand lifted aimlessly, pulling the sheet with it before dropping back to the bed beside him. "I'm so sorry," he whispered, unable to find the strength to give the words more force.

Rone's gaze shifted from Thane to Kolyat, and then to his clasped hands in his lap. "If you are certain, Kolyat, I will not force you, but know I believe your father is sincere and wants nothing more than for you to stay. He loves you and has missed you dearly."

Kolyat jumped up from his chair, his little hands forming tight fists at his sides as he turned on his uncle, his voice raised and full of pain and fury. "Then why does he keep _leaving_ me?"

Thane's bare feet touched the floor before he even realized he intended to move, detaching the IV feed from the catheter taped to his arm and tossing the monitoring devices aside. Both Rone and Kolyat's heads jerked up to stare at him, their lips parted in stunned silence. Somewhere in the back of his mind—the part of him that'd never be silent—he heard the door open, and in his peripherals he saw Hemot rush into the room, only to stop and stare a moment before shutting off the monitoring devices, silencing their incessant beeping and leaving them alone once more.

His gaze never left Kolyat's, though. Nothing and no one else mattered. He took a couple of steps forward, stopping only when able to reach out and touch his son, resting the palm of his hand against the boy's cheek. The feel of Kolyat's scales beneath Thane's fingers ripped an anguished sob from his throat, but he lifted his other hand to the opposite side of the child's face anyway.

Kolyat squeezed his eyes closed, his entire face distorting with his misery, walls crumbling as he began to keen. Thane sunk to his knees in front of the boy, and Kolyat threw himself into his father's arms, clinging to his neck with a desperation that rocked Thane to darkest depths of his soul.

Rone stood, resting a hand on his shoulder before caressing the back of Kolyat's head. "I will wait outside, give the two of you some time alone."

He glanced up, giving him a slight nod. "Thank you, Brother." It was all the notice he spared for Rone at the moment. Sliding an arm around the back of Kolyat's thighs, the other wrapped firmly around the child's back, Thane stood, lifting his son with him. Frantic sobs filled the air, the child's high-pitched whine, cutting into Thane worse than any blade ever could. Holding his son a little tighter, he slid his hand from Kolyat's back up to cradle his head. "I'm so sorry, Kolyat. I'm so sorry."

"I do not want you to leave, Father." Kolyat wailed, pressing the side of his face deeper into the crook of Thane's neck, his grip around his father tightening, as if he could hold him there forever if he only tried hard enough. "Please do not go. Please."

Thane carried him over to the bed and sat down, pulling Kolyat onto his lap. The boy had grown so much since the last time Thane held him, he didn't really fit on his father's lap anymore, but they made do.

"I must, my son." Thane began a gentle rocking motion, hoping to calm the child. "Staying with you is not an option for me, much as I wish it were."

"Why, Father? Why?"

"I—Because …." Thane squeezed his eyes shut, biting down on his tongue hard enough to draw blood as memories pushed their way to the surface, threatening to pull him back under with them. He _would not_ relive the day he learned assassins were after his family because of him. He _would not_ let his son hear how he'd dropped everything and fled, running with everything he had to get back home, hoping, praying, begging every god and goddess he knew the names for that he wouldn't be too late. How when he finally arrived, he only found they'd already been there and killed his wife, while his son hid in the next room.

He shook his head and cleared his throat. "I can't give you a better explanation right now, Son. I promise I will tell you everything when you're older. Just know … after what happened to your mother … I knew … I thought it best for you, _safer_ for you, if I left."

Kolyat stilled, his breathing beginning to slow as he seemed to mull over Thane's words. After a moment, he started whispering. "'Kolyat!' Mother grabs me, picking me up from the floor. Runs to the bedroom. 'Mother?' She opens the closet, shoves things aside. Wipes tears from her eyes. Opens a small door, hidden in the back of the closet. 'Kolyat, get inside. You must stay here, no matter what you hear—'"

"Sweet Arashu," Terrified, Thane sucked in a breath, shaking his son a little, trying desperately to pull him away from the living nightmare. "Kolyat. Kolyat, you're here with me now. _Be here_ with me now." Pulling his son, back he held the boy's face between both hands, rubbing his thumbs over the child's cheeks. " Look at me, look at your father, Kolyat."

Kolyat blinked several times, his gaze settling on his father in the present moment, an eerie, detached calm settling over his features. "I heard them, Father. I stayed in the closet like Mother told me, but I heard them. They told her they were sending a message to you." He swallowed, lowering his gaze. "They killed her, but I stayed in the closet like Mother told me to."

* * *

Jasmine lay on the cot, hands under her head and her ankles crossed. She turned her head to look at the door, curiosity piqued, when she heard a key in the lock. It's been weeks since anyone came to take her to see The Bitch. It'd left her with a whole lot of time to brood and ponder Leon's confession vid. It left a bitter taste on the back of her tongue, the warning of 'something big'; something The Bitch didn't want her to know. Which naturally made Jasmine really, really want to find out. It sounded like he intended to say something about the Phantoms, or maybe just the Alliance in general. Something, if Jasmine heard, might make her question her loyalty. A few months ago, she would've sworn it'd never happen, no matter what … now, after spending four months alone in a cell without so much as a hint of what they planned to do with her … she wasn't so sure.

The door opened, but instead of revealing a guard, ready with cuffs, a man in a sharp, navy suit stepped inside. She cocked an eyebrow, pulling her hands from behind her head and paused, her mind racing to figure out who the newcomer was and whether she needed to stand and salute. A guard pulled the door closed behind him, locking them both inside.

"Jasmine Shepard?" The tall stranger asked, tucking his hands into his pockets.

She pushed herself to her feet and started to lift her hand to her brow in salute, but he pulled a hand back out of his pocket and waved her off. He stood there a moment, not saying anything, just looking at her; so she looked right back. She swept her gaze over him, top to bottom and back again. The fine hairs on the back of her neck tickled, standing on end. The man man practically screamed 'dangerous', no doubt about it. He might look soft in his expensive, well-tailored suit and manicured nails, with subtle hints of spicy aftershave wafting off of him, but the carefully constructed, intentionally casual stance and the shrewd, assessing look in his eyes belied the rest of the picture he presented.

No, he wasn't a pencil pusher; he didn't spend his time behind a desk looking at numbers and reports like The Bitch and her lackeys. She could almost smell the Phantom training on him. She didn't think he meant to kill her, though. The guards carried guns, and they kept her locked in a room with no other exit. They wouldn't even need to unlock the door to shoot her, just slide open the observation window and take aim. Sure, she might be able to press herself against the wall next to the door, force them to enter, and she might even take down one or two if she got lucky, but she was outnumbered and stripped of weapons. If they wanted her dead, no way she'd make it out alive.

 _So, who the hell are you and what do you want?_

He smirked when she met his gaze again and nodded his head toward the one chair in her cell. "Mind if I sit down?"

She snorted. "You're the boss here, Mr. …."

He surprised her, taking a few steps closer and holding out his hand. "You can call me Isaac."

 _He's confident. Or at least wants me to think he is._

She shook his hand, noting his firm, solid grip. "You're the boss here, Isaac."

Chuckling, he nodded his head, the light catching on the small, gold studs in his ears. "Maybe. That's what I'm here to see." He walked over to the desk built into the wall and pulled the chair out, turning it around to face her cot. Unbuttoning his jacket, he sat down, crossing one long leg over the other. He threaded his fingers together, resting his hands in his lap and watched her. "Feel free to sit down, Jasmine. Is it alright if I call you Jasmine?"

 _Sit? Uh, no. Come on, guy, what do you want? I get it, you're trying to put me at ease, want me relaxed. Why?_

She narrowed her eyes, remaining standing for the time being. "Is it really my choice?"

He raised his thumbs, turning his palms out a little. "It is."

"Then it depends." She paced back a few feet, and leaned her hip against the wall, crossing her arms over her chest.

The corner of his mouth twitched, amusement dancing in his dark brown eyes. "They weren't lying when they said you were defiant." He chuckled, his head bobbing a little as if to a tune only he heard. "What's it depend on?"

Jasmine raised an eyebrow and gestured toward him. "On who you are and why exactly you're crashing my pity party."

He put a hand against his chest. "I'm a handler. Maybe your handler."

"My handler?" She pursed her lips and nodded. "So, they're not planning on throwing away the key. Good to know. Why maybe?"

He shrugged, his gaze steady on her, giving nothing away. "I haven't decided whether or not I want to work with you, yet."

 _Okay, you want to play this game, I'll play._

"Why? Because I'm 'defiant'? Oh, no, that's not it." She scoffed, pushing away from the wall and returned to her cot, sitting on the foot of the makeshift bed to rest her back against the wall. "Let me guess, you're not sure if you want to work with me because I killed my last handler." She sucked in a deep breath, and held her arms out to the sides. "So, what? You decided to size me up before you make the call?"

He gave her a slow shake of his head. "I'm just here to talk."

She snorted, moving over to stretch out on her cot, tucking her hands back under her head and crossing her ankles once more. "I've been here for four months now. The only person who ever wants to talk is The—Langston." She turned her head to look at him. "I could use the change in scenery. You want to talk, we'll talk."

 _This relaxed enough for you? Nonthreatening?_

He raised an eyebrow at her, pursing his lips. "Jasmine or Shepard?"

"Shepard," she said, pausing before adding, "For now. Why you?"

He nodded, apparently accepting her choice, even if the sharp focus of his gaze told her he didn't buy her act. "What do you mean?"

"Why'd they choose you?" She pulled a hand free to wave around at nothing. "Of all options, why'd they want you to be my new handler?" She tucked her hand back behind her head.

"Honestly?" He raised his eyebrows. Leaning forward in his chair when she tilted her head, he put both feet on the floor and rested his elbows on his knees. "I think they chose me because I'm gay, and you had a romantic history with Harding."

Jasmine snorted, rolling her eyes. "Langston still thinks it has something to do with why I killed him."

He turned his palms up. "Does it?"

"No." She shifted her gaze back to the ceiling, watching him out of the corner of her eye. "I killed him because he went off the rails, taking out innocent people on a job he fabricated because of personal reasons."

"I read the file." He made a thoughtful humming sound, glancing down at his hands; the first time he'd taken his eyes off of her since he sat down. "Do you regret killing him?"

Jasmine's brow furrowed and her head jerked back towards Isaac, but nothing in his expression said he intended to wound her with the question. She considered his words for a moment before shaking her head. "I regret I _had_ to. I regret he didn't listen to me when I confronted him. I got my ass handed to me when I tried to stop him, and because of it he killed two more people while I _napped_ on the goddamn floor." She swallowed, choking down her grief—grief she didn't have the right to feel—and sucked in a breath, holding it in her lungs for a few seconds before letting it go in a noisy rush. "I regret the fact his sister is waiting for him to come help her deal with their father's death, and now he'll never show, and fuck all if the Alliance will tell her anything because officially … officially he wasn't a part of the Alliance."

"They already sent his sister a letter. I don't know what they said, or who it's supposed to be from, but the Solomon family knows he's dead." He shrugged when Jasmine looked at him again, hints of what felt like genuine sympathy in his eyes. "Langston didn't tell you?"

"Langston doesn't tell me things, she asks me things." Jasmine paused for effect, dropping her voice to a droning monotone. "Over, and over, and over again." She closed her eyes, turning her face back to the ceiling and took a few slow breaths while she listened for any sign of movement from him. She'd started to forget what it felt like to be talked to like a person, to be offered some grain of information capable of putting her mind at ease even just a little. "Thank you." She smiled to herself.

 _Not bad, Isaac. Not bad._

"Mhmm." He made the same humming sound again. "Would you do it again?"

"What?" She opened her eyes, letting her gaze roam over the ceiling tiles and locked door, still tracking him in her peripherals.

"Kill your handler again? If you found yourself in a similar situation with another handler, would you kill them?"

Jasmine turned her head to look at him and gave him the simplest, but truest answer, "Yeah." She did the right thing when she killed Leon, and she'd stand by that, no matter what they decided to do with her.

"Good." Isaac stood, buttoning his jacket. "I'll get the paperwork going to get you out of here."

 _What? Seriously?_

Jasmine sat up, staring up at the man, guarding her expression so the hope didn't show through, just in case. "You're taking me on?"

"I am, and I already have an assignment for you." He picked up the chair, carrying it back to the desk. "A month's leave of absence." He sat the chair down and turned to look at her, tucking his hands in his pockets. "Go someplace new, Shepard. Take in the sights. Deal with the hot mess you've got going on in your head."

She stood, pulse racing. He was getting her out. She could see Thane, call Geoffrey and Karin, talk to Rift … _see Thane_. She'd have to be careful, of course; make sure they didn't have someone follow her when she left, but she'd actually be able to see him again and the thought made her heart swell in her chest. She started to lift her hand in salute but Isaac waved her off again and shook his head.

"Don't. Don't do that. I don't want to hear 'yes, sir', either. Remember that, and we'll do fine." He crossed the floor, banging the side of his fist against the door three times. "They'll re-outfit you before you leave and return your personal effects." Isaac nodded to her when the door opened. "I'll be in touch, Shepard. One month."

She broke, unable to hold back the stupid grin or the joyous tears anymore. "Thank you, Isaac."


	28. Reunions

**Reunions**

Jasmine knocked on the old, familiar door—still in desperate need of a fresh coat of paint—and waited, adjusting her bags on her shoulders. A few moments later, Karin opened the door, drying her hands on a kitchen towel. Her eyes lit up, a wide smile sweeping over her face.

"Jasmine!" She stepped out onto the porch, throwing her arms around Jasmine and pulling her into a tight hug. "What a surprise? It's so good to see you!" Turning, she tugged Jasmine toward the door. "Come in, I just started dinner and the kids are finishing up their homework. Geoffrey won't be home for another twenty minutes or so."

Jasmine grinned as the older woman started trying to tug Jasmine's bags from her shoulders. "I got them. Go sit down somewhere. We both know you haven't sat down since you've been home."

Karin swatted at her with the hand towel. "I'll sit at dinner. Let me unlock Geoffrey's study for you." She eyed, the bags over Jasmine's shoulder again. "I'm guessing you'll need to use his gun safe."

Jasmine nodded, knowing the house rule. Once she stepped foot inside the Williams' house, she agreed to lock her weapons away. Geoffrey did the same thing, before he even took off his jacket or sat down his briefcase. "Yeah, probably a good idea."

Karin smiled and patted Jasmine on the shoulder before steering her toward the study, leaving it at that. "The kids will be so happy to see you. Rift still talks about you every day. He's been so upset you haven't called in months."

Jasmine winced. "Yeah, sorry … it wasn't by choice."

"Oh, he knows. Geoffrey explained everything, but you know how children can be." Karin stopped in front of her husband's study, punching in the code to open the door while Jasmine pretended not to watch.

Not that she needed to watch, Geoffrey hadn't changed the code in years, and the particular security model he used happened to be one Jasmine learned how to hack early in her training. She went inside, glancing over her shoulder as Karin shut the door behind her. Geoffrey, Karin, and Jasmine's fingerprints were the only ones programmed into Geoffrey's gun safe. Again, it wasn't exactly 'safe' in her mind, because she knew she'd have it hacked in under a minute if she ever needed to, but it kept the weapons inside out of the hands of curious children, so it served its purpose.

Jasmine settled her bags to the floor and opened the safe, which she new sent an automatic alert to both Geoffrey and Karin's omni-tools, telling them the gun safe had been opened, and by whom. The call from Geoffrey came through before she'd finished tucking her weapons inside the safe.

Opening her omni-tool, she accepted the call and grinned. "You're not supposed to be making personal calls at work, Williams."

Relief filled his eyes as he took a deep breath, a smile spreading across his face. "Exceptions can be made. I got an alert telling me you opened the gunsafe. I needed to make sure there isn't an emergency at home."

She shook her head, held up her pistol in front of the screen. "Just putting my toys away before I wash up for dinner." Putting the gun in the safe, she shut the door and activated the lock.

Geoffrey nodded, his smile growing a little. "I'll be home soon. It's good to see you, kiddo."

"You, too, Geoffrey." She returned his warm smile before closing her omni-tool, ending the call. Sighing, she glanced around the study, not even the tiniest bit surprised to see it largely unchanged. She left her bags on the study floor, she'd deal with them later.

Rift waited for her just outside the door, looking up at her with wide eyes and a huge grin; the dog, Lucky, stood at his feet wagging its tail. "Jasmine!" He threw his arms around her waist, knocking her back a step.

She laughed, patting his back as she nudged him out of the study's doorway, closing the door behind them. "Hey kid." She kissed the top of his head. "I missed you."

"Hey, Jasmine." Samantha's voice drew her attention. The girl leaned against the door frame leading off to the family room area. "Mom said you brought bags, how long are you staying?"

Giving Rift one last squeeze, she tried to break his embrace so she might properly greet Samantha, but the kid just refused to let her go. She held her arm out to the girl instead, waving her over. "Couple of days. Come here. God, look at you."

Samantha smirked, making her way over to Jasmine and putting her shoulder against Jasmine's side, letting herself be pulled into a hug. "People grow, Jasmine. It's a thing."

Jasmine snorted. "Smartass. And 'Sammy' now, huh?"

"Yeah," Samantha said, looking up at Jasmine, mischief sparking to life in her eyes. "Mom hates it."

Jasmine shook her head, leaning down to kiss the pre-teen's forehead. "Which means you love it, right?"

"Yep." The girl grinned, letting Jasmine go before tugging at her brother's shirt. "Come on, Rift. Mom said we need to finish our homework before Dad gets home. You can suffocate Jasmine later."

With a reluctant groan, Rift let go of Jasmine. "Okay." He looked back up at her. "Will you sit next to me at dinner?"

She smiled, ruffling his hair. "Sure."

Samantha looked over her shoulder as she and her brother made their way back to the family room. "Jessica's out with her boyfriend, and Angela's at softball practice. They're both supposed to be home for dinner," she said, rolling her eyes, "but they're always late."

Jasmine snorted and nodded. "Okay, thanks."

* * *

The door opened, light from the house spilling out into the night, temporarily ruining Jasmine's ability to make out shapes in the darkness around her. Geoffrey stepped outside, closing the door behind him. He handed her a glass before sitting down next to her on the stairs.

He took a drink before speaking, keeping his voice pitched low. "Why are we sitting out here in the dark?"

She sighed, lifting the glass of bourbon to her lips. "Trust building exercise."

"How's that?"

"They gave me a new handler before they let me go." She shrugged, her gaze sweeping the shadows across the street. "I want to make sure his 'take a month's leave and go see the sights' pitch didn't really mean 'I want to follow you and see where you go.'"

"Hmm. Seeing any eyes out here?" He swirled his tumbler around, the ice tinkling softly against the glass.

She shook her head, taking a sip of her drink. "Not yet."

"You think they're going to be out here with you sitting out in the open?" He cocked an eyebrow, just barely visible in the moonlight.

"Nope." She took a deep breath, sucking in the fresh night air until she'd filled her lungs to capacity and glanced up at the sky. "But I've been stuck in a little white room for four months."

Geoffrey hummed thoughtfully, his voice low and sympathetic when he asked, "Feeling claustrophobic inside?"

"A little, yeah." She turned her gaze back to him and forced a smile. "I'll be alright."

"Of course you will, kid. You're a fighter; a survivor. Always have been, as long as I've known you." He put his arm over her shoulder, pulling her into his side. "So, any ideas on where you'll be spending the rest of your leave?"

"Somewhere tropical," she said, already feeling the tug of Kahje in her heart, "lots of ocean, I think." Of course, her interest in the hanar homeworld had nothing to do with oceans; Jasmine couldn't care less about what natural wonders the planet held—Thane went there for his treatments, though, making it the most exciting planet in the galaxy.

"Sounds nice." Geoffrey's soft laugh did little to hide the tinge of sadness to his voice. "You know … it may not be beachfront, but you're more than welcome to spend your leave here."

She offered him a soft, regretful smile. "I know …."

He nodded, taking a swallow from his glass before turning his gaze up to the stars. "But you're missing someone else out there somewhere, aren't you?"

She cocked an eyebrow, pulling back a little to better look at him. "What makes you think so?"

"Just a hunch." He squeezed her shoulder before letting her go. "Am I wrong?"

She looked down at the tumbler cradled in her hands, the moon reflected in the dark amber liquid. After a moment she sighed. "No."

"Be careful, Jasmine. Okay, kiddo?" Genuine concern filled his voice, and it left her wondering just how much of her puzzle the man figured out.

He'd been nervous about Thane when she first told him about meeting the drell on the job. Why wouldn't he be? Thane handed Jasmine her ass in a handbasket that day, and she'd called Geoffrey to help soothe her wounded pride. He knew what Thane did for a living, just as he knew what she did, and even if Geoffrey didn't approve of her career trajectory, he cared about her as if she were his own. What father figure wouldn't be bothered by his pseudo-daughter hanging out with an assassin, even if she were one herself?

He'd watched her and Thane together when they'd said goodbye to Rift on the Citadel. Maybe he saw something there she wasn't ready to accept back then, or hell, maybe Rift just decided to tell Geoffrey that he thought Jasmine wanted to kiss Thane. Either way, she felt pretty sure the man knew exactly who she intended to go see. She wished she could tell him what she knew deep in her core: Thane loved her. Real love; not the psycho version Leon showed her. Thane wasn't anywhere close to being a threat to her and, in fact, she believed he'd risk his own life to try and save her from any danger that crossed her path.

"It'll destroy us if something happened to you," Geoffrey said, tearing her from her internal musings. He paused to take a drink and then added, "This whole thing you just went through, I know you can't give me the details, but it's left me a nervous wreck these last few months. Just ask Karin."

She looked out at the night, gaze stopping on every shadow. "I know, and I'm sorry. I'd have called you but they cut off all communication."

"I'm just glad you're okay." He patted her knee. "Well, it's getting late. I've got to be up early in the morning, so I better head to bed. Rift's got your old room, so I set the cot up for you in Jessica's room."

"Thanks, Geoffrey." She glanced up at him, wanting to tell him how much he and his family meant to her. She wanted to say her life would be far worse if she'd never met him. She wanted to tell him what a wonderful man he truly was, but he already knew all of it, and a sudden gushing of emotions would only make him worry about her more. So, she smiled and just said, "Night."

He rubbed the top of her head on his way back up the stairs. "Goodnight, kiddo."

Jasmine leaned back against the stairs, propping her elbows on the step behind her and stretching her legs out in front of her. She took in another deep breath, holding it in her lungs until her head started to swim. Letting the air seep back out of her, she took a big swallow from her glass. Bourbon wasn't really her drink of choice, but damn if it didn't taste good just then. She threw her head back, dumping the last of the alcohol down her throat and looked up at the stars. There weren't many to be seen, too much light pollution on Earth, but she saw a few. And somewhere out there, among those stars, _her_ drell waited for her to find him—so she'd better get busy.

She sat her glass down on the stairs and stood up, stretching her arms up over her head. She'd find Thane, but first, she needed to make damn sure Isaac or one of The Bitch's thugs hadn't followed her. Sparing only a heartbeat's worth of time to acknowledge the painful memory of Leon, she activated the tactical cloak he gave her and disappeared, stepping into the night.

* * *

Thane hung his jacket in the closet of his room at the rehabilitation center. They assigned him a small studio on the premises, nothing more than an open space for living, a private bathroom, and a single closet. The facility itself required a code to get inside the building, and used cameras for security. He hardly considered the place secure, though, and the locks on individual rooms were laughable in their simplicity. He'd considered taking his own measures, but the people who ran the center needed access to his room to deliver assistance in the event of an emergency. He didn't dare risk someone getting hurt while trying to help him.

Reaching inside the pocket of his jacket, he pulled out the elastic hair band Jasmine left at his apartment on Illium. He ran his fingers over it, the loose strands of her hair it once held now so tightly woven around the elastic, they'd become inseparable. Smiling through the pain of his breaking heart, he pulled the band onto his wrist. Silly and probably overly sentimental to most, perhaps especially because he only needed to think of her to see her face in perfect detail, he still made a habit of sleeping with the hair band around his wrist at night and carrying it with him in his pocket during the day. He refused to let her go. She'd return to him, he just needed to be patient.

Tomorrow, he agreed to have dinner with his family after his treatments. The last few months, watching Kolyat— _his son_ —open his heart back up to Thane … as much as he missed Jasmine, he'd not trade his time spent with Kolyat for anything. He hoped to someday be able to introduce the two of them, after all, if not for Jasmine, he'd still be completely absent from his son's life. How foolish of him to have once convinced himself that his absence wouldn't bother the child; to think failing to be a regular presence in his son's life before Irikah's murder meant not being missed or needed after.

Thane felt certain his siha would care for his son, given the opportunity, but it pained him to admit he doubted the same might be said for Kolyat. He feared the boy would hate Jasmine, and hate him for loving her, if for no other reason than she wasn't Irikah. He loved them both, though, with a strength he once found unsettling. Now it only emboldened him to hope for a future, perhaps not the type of future Irikah once imagined they'd share, but one no less filled with love. Certainly a future that didn't involve him dying alone, as he'd imagined for himself after her death—asphyxiating after having his body slowly consumed by Kepral's Syndrome or perhaps shot or stabbed, having finally met his match in a contract.

 _Or, simply becoming so calloused I fell from Arashu's grace, abandoned; left to be slaughtered in the hunt by Amonkira's own hand, before finally being given over to Kalahira's arms to be carried across the sea._

Tonight … tonight he'd work to strengthen his body, mind, and soul before giving in to the whims of his heart. He'd exercise, meditate, pray … and then make love to his siha and fall asleep with her in his arms—even if she wasn't really there with him. He wondered if she spent her nights remembering him. It saddened him, knowing her incapable of recalling the details of their time together as clearly as he did. The idea of his face fading from her memory terrified him because it might also mean he'd fade from her heart.

He took off his vest, hanging it next to his jacket before sitting down on the bed to remove his boots. He wished to see himself through her eyes; through her memories—know what she thought and felt when they were together. Did he feel as wonderful to her as she did to him? She'd handled his slip into memories of Irikah with such kindness and grace, working to soothe his pain, but did it hurt her despite her claims to the contrary? He wanted to promise her it'd never happen again, but he knew it'd be a promise he might not be able to keep. He prayed he at least found another opportunity to try and get it right for her.

Unbuttoning his pants, his head tilted to the side and he froze. He heard something. Not the sounds of someone moving in the halls outside his door—he'd accustomed to hearing the noises of the rehabilitation center—no, the sound he heard came from above. Letting his hand fill with raw biotic energy, he turned, trying to track the noise, but he didn't hear it again. Something new on the floor caught in his peripherals, he glanced down finding a small scrap of paper; a true rarity on Kahje.

He took hesitant steps forward, his gaze shifting back to the ceiling. His heart thumped in his chest, despite the warning flares in the back of his mind reminding him that he was exposed, in the open with no real cover and a potential enemy stalking him from above … a soft whisper, just beyond his hearing told him the moment he'd waited for since Jasmine left him on Illium finally arrived. Reaching the paper, he squatted down next to it, picking it up with his gaze on the vent above. Standing up again, he backed away, not turning his gaze to the scrap in his hand until he'd made his way back to the closet—his pistol within reach just inside.

The impression of pursed lips, just a faint shine on the paper tinged in pink, stood out next to neat, human script. " _Your turn. A human on Kahje … can't be too hard to find."_

His smile, so strong and fierce as it spread across his face, made the muscles of his cheeks ache. Heart swelling, he felt breathless in a way having nothing to do with his illness. Lifting the card closer to his face, he inhaled deeply, catching traces of the scent of some unfamiliar fruit, stirring memories of the taste of her lips.

 _She's here._

Lifting his gaze back to the ceiling one last time, he spun on his heel, yanking his vest and jacket back out of the closet. Picking his boots back up, too, he clutched them all to his chest, rushing to his bed. He tossed the vest and jacket on the mattress, dropping his boots to the floor before looking at the paper again. He grazed his fingers over the lip print before rubbing them together, letting the scented gloss soak into his scales, touching his fingers to his own mouth. Setting the paper down next to his jacket, as careful as if it were made of spun glass, he started getting dressed again.

* * *

Finding her had been simple, almost alarmingly so. If not for knowing she wanted to be found—wanted _him_ to find her—he'd be seriously concerned for her safety. Although unlikely anyone on Kahje meant her harm, being the only human in a city filled with drell meant she was twice as impossible to forget, and she'd made sure she'd been seen by many. Most of those he asked showed no qualms discussing the unexpected presence of the human woman walking amongst them, and within a half hour, someone pointed him in the direction of the hotel where she'd rented a room.

He watched her from the shadows of the rafters. He could've easily knocked on her door, but this … this was what she wanted. The chase. The hunt. Even if she'd made herself easy prey by way of welcome. He waited, testing a theory as much as savoring the moment, his eyes drinking in her every movement. She always seemed to know when he watched her, even with her back turned, if he let his gaze linger on her for very long. How long until she felt him watching now? He'd noticed something similar in other humans from time to time, particularly the human drala'fa; he thought it some adaptation evolution bestowed on their species, a means of alerting them to danger, but he never met anyone as attuned with the instinct as she seemed to be. He wondered how much of it came from training, and how much from her time living on the streets of Earth as a child—a drala'fa in her own right.

Jasmine paced the floor below him, her teeth worrying her lower lip, a habit of hers which always seemed to captivate him. She came to an abrupt stop, her shoulders tensing, and he smiled. Turning, her gaze swept over the room before lifting up to the rafters. Lips parting when she found him, a warm, inviting smile spreading across her face; the light dancing in her rainforest eyes making them shine like precious gemstones.

"Hi." She bit her lip again, tucking her hands in her back pockets.

He turned, grabbing the edge of the rafter he perched on and swung himself down, hanging for a second before dropping to the floor below. His legs already propelling him forward before he'd fully straightened from the landing, he took her in his arms, claiming her mouth with his own. She leaned into him, hands clinging to the back of his head and neck, pulling him closer. Her tongue and pleading—perhaps demanding—whimpers filled his mouth. He tugged at her shirt, lifting it enough to splay his hands out against her bare skin, moaning at her warmth, real and solid against his scales. His heart raced, it felt so wonderful to touch her again it nearly brought tears to his eyes, but it wasn't enough.

He broke the kiss, moving his mouth to the expanse of the exposed skin of her neck, trailing his tongue over her pulse before nipping at it with his teeth, delighting in the throaty gasp it tore from her. "Hello, siha," he whispered in her ear, rubbing his frills against her jaw. "I missed you."

"God, I missed you, too." Her hands worked their way beneath his jacket pushing it back off his shoulders, but he refused to let go of her long enough for it to be removed completely. She abandoned the fruitless task and instead wedged a hand between them, deft fingers working to undo the buckles of his vest. The fingers of her other hand skirted over his frills before settling against the side of his face. Her voice raw and filled with longing, she whispered, "I missed you so much it hurt."

He pulled back, bringing his hands up to cradle her jaw, fingers resting just below her ears on either side. The undeniable moisture in her eyes filled him with grief. He didn't want her to hurt, ever. More pressing, he never wanted to be a source of pain for her, but some things simply weren't within his control. So many questions filled his mind, and so much more he wanted to tell her, but for the moment, all he needed was to just be with her.

He swallowed, brushing his thumbs over her cheeks. "It's been painful for me, too. I've been so worried for you, and I can't express how overjoyed I am to have you here with me now." Sweeping a thumb over her lips, he brought his mouth closer to hers. "I love you, siha."

"I love you, too, Thane." Closing the little space between them, she kissed him, her lips a soft, momentary caress against his.

She pulled the last buckle of his vest loose and slid the zipper free. Pushing the leather aside, she pressed her hand flat over his heart and sighed, as if the moment brought her some great relief, removing some tremendous burden from her shoulders. He supposed if her feelings mirrored his even in the slightest, then feeling his heartbeat against her palm must feel like the first rays of sunshine after a long, cold night spent fearing morning might never arrive.

Smiling, he moved his hand to hers, holding it there against his chest, humbled by her love for him in the moment. Tilting her chin up, he kissed her again, simply letting his lips linger on hers. After a moment, though, her lips parted, teasing his mouth open with her tongue; stoking the fire already coursing through his veins. Oh, how he wanted to feel more of her—all of her—and it appeared, she wanted the same.

She resumed her attempts to divest him of his clothing, tugging and shoving at his jacket and vest until he relented. Letting go of her, he allowed her to remove them, and with a triumphant grin, she dropped them to the floor at his feet. Her hands ran over the planes of his chest before moving up to his shoulders, sweeping along his neck before dragging her fingers down to his abdomen, tracing scars she helped to heal—filling him with warmth and desperate need. Lifting her gaze to his, she let him see the same hunger smoldering in her eyes before returning her lips to his.

Hooking his fingers under the hem of her shirt, he edged it up, stopping to hold the weight of her breasts in his palms as he rubbed his thumbs over the lacey fabric of her bra. It was one of the things she showed him, one of the ways her body responded to his touch when they made love. Nipples hardening, pushing against the cloth, she moaned into his mouth and arched her back. Lifting her shirt a little higher, he broke the kiss, and she raised her arms, allowing him to pull the vivid blue article of clothing over her head.

He let it fall to the floor, dismissing it completely from his mind as he leaned down to kiss her bare shoulder. Sliding the strap of her bra down her arm, he trailed his tongue over the swell of her breast. She reached behind her and a moment later her bra fell slack, slipping away from her at the slightest touch to join her shirt on the floor. She wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her face against his frills, her breasts pressing against his bare chest, and it felt, quite simply, perfect.

He pulled her closer—close enough, when he focused, he felt her heart beating against him—and breathed in her scent. Her hair smelled like grapefruit and papaya again, the way she smelled when they first met. Her skin smelled of rain and the ocean—as most things on Kahje did—but just beneath, he picked up hints of something floral and pheremones that shouldn't appeal to someone of another species as much as they called to him.

After a moment, she turned her face, pressing soft kisses to his throat. Running his fingers up and down her spine, he tilted his head, savoring the sensations she evoked in him. She stepped into him, bringing her lower body flush with his, the heat and pressure teasing his erection as her teeth nibbled at his frills. He moaned, his hand trailing down to the small of her back, pulling her in tighter against him.

He licked his lips, the strain in his throat telling him his voice would crack before he even spoke. "I want to make love to you, siha."

"Mhmm." She bit down a little harder, tearing a pleasure-filled gasp from him before pressing her lips to the same spot. "I can tell."

He chuckled, the mischief in her voice only making him want her more. Moving his hand down to squeeze the curve of her rear, he asked, "Do you intend to make me beg?"

Her mouth moved to the other side of his throat, licking and biting; driving him slowly mad with want. "Mmm. With your sexy voice? Tempting, but no, I'm not going to make you beg."

He pulled back to find her gaze, raising a brow ridge. "You think my voice is sexy?"

"Christ, yes. I think everything about you is sexy." She ran her teeth over her lip and smirked. "Always have."

It was an intriguing discovery, one he'd most certainly use to his advantage, and if she liked the idea of hearing him beg … he'd use that, too. "Please, siha." He brushed his thumb over her lips, grinning when she captured it between her teeth. "Please. I'll do whatever you ask of me."

She laughed, throwing her head back. "I already said you don't need to beg."

Taking advantage of her exposed throat, he nuzzled against her neck, nipping, and licking his way to her ear. "Jasmine, please, allow me to make love to you."

She groaned, as if dismayed, but it failed to hide her racing pulse or the hitch in her breathing.

"I want to feel all of you—taste all of you, please." He reached up, pulling her hair free and slipping the hair band around his wrist next to the other one. Sliding his fingers through her hair, he made a fist, reveling in the sounds she made and the feel of her chest heaving against his. Bringing his other hand to her breast, he trapped her nipple between his thumb and finger, squeezing gently as he rolled it back and forth. "I want—I _need_ to be inside of you, I'm begging you, _please_." He did it again, adding a little more pressure when she gasped, her fingers kneading at his neck and shoulders. He poured every ounce of his need for her into his voice. " _Sweet Arashu, Jasmine, please_."

Tugging at his crest, she pulled his head back, barely giving him the chance to see the overwhelming heat in her eyes before her mouth crushed down on his. Tongue delving into his mouth, she put a hand on his chest, urging him back toward the bed without releasing her hold on him. Lifting her, he wrapped her legs around his waist and turned, carrying her to the bed. She clung to him as he lowered her down to the mattress, _growling_ at him when he pulled away. Chuckling, he looked down at her, his gaze roaming over her flushed skin, and swollen lips, her breasts rising up as if to meet him with her every, staggered breath.

 _My beautiful siha._

He kicked his socks and shoes off before helping her do the same. He pressed a knee to the mattress between her legs and leaned over her, tugging the button and zipper of her pants free. Using his palms to support his weight on either side of her shoulders, he kissed her. She pulled his lip between her teeth, tugging at it before releasing him.

Grinning, he moved to her jaw, nibbling at the delicate bone before licking and kissing his way down to her chest. He brought a hand to her breast, kneading and caressing. Running his tongue over the nipple, he sucked it into his mouth for further exploration when she moaned. Her every approving sound made him want to spend eternity with her, in the little hotel room locked away from everything else, while he learned all there was to know about her. She arched her back, fingers clutching his shoulders as she wrapped her leg around the back of his knee.

He kissed and caressed his way down over her abdomen, trailing his tongue over her skin here and there. She twitched, sucking in a sharp breath when he scraped his teeth over her hip bone, just barely visible over the waistband of her pants. He smelled her arousal, felt the warmth radiating from her, even through her clothing. If she allowed, he'd taste her there, too. He wanted to know if he could send her over the edge with his mouth and hands alone.

She lifted her hips, letting him tug her pants and undergarment down her legs, the scent of her need flooding the air as he exposed the source. Dropping the last of her clothes to the floor beside the bed, he took the opportunity to look at her in her entirety. The last time they were together—the first time—things were laden with the burden of trouble just on the horizon, and they rushed to join with one another, desperate to hold on to the moment before the chance was taken away from them. As much as he looked forward to being inside of her, he didn't want to rush the moment. He wanted to get it right, all of it, for her, and he wanted to commit every centimeter of her to memory because he didn't know how long it'd be before they had to part ways again.

He ran his fingers over the coarse mound of hair trailing down between her legs, and she spread her legs, letting her bent knees fall to the sides, revealing herself fully to him. So similar to his own species in many ways, yet so different in others; the intricacies of her sex organs intrigued as much as they excited him. Delicate folds, slick to the point of near shining with the fluids of her arousal, gave way to an opening that didn't seem as if it should be able to accommodate what he had to offer, but he'd spent many nights remembering what it felt like for her stretch around him, accepting him completely.

He glanced up at her face, surprised to find wariness and vulnerability lurking behind the lust in her eyes, making him hesitate. "Have I made you uncomfortable? Do you … do you want to do something else instead?" His breath caught in his throat and he held it there, dreading the idea she'd ask him to stop. He would, of course, if she wished, but it was the furthest thing from what he wanted. Still, the idea he might've made her uncomfortable troubled him.

She smiled and shook her head, the mixed emotions easing back in her gaze. "Not even a little."

Relieved, he let go of the pent up breath and returned her smile. "You are so beautiful, my siha."

"Thank you." A soft blush filled her cheeks and he knew he'd said the right thing, what she needed to hear from him. She grinned, a spark of humor burning away the remnants of doubt in her eyes. "So are you."

Resting a hand on her knee, he chuckled, dipping his head to her. "Thank you."

Sliding his hand down her thigh, he held her gaze, gauging her reactions. Encouraged by the hitch in her breathing and her hooded eyes, he brushed over the hair between her legs again. He continued down until he found the warm wetness just beyond, coating his fingers in it as he familiarized himself with each miniscule curve. She gasped, her eyelids fluttering as she stopped breathing for a moment. The muscles in his groin spasmed at the sound, his body begging to reunite with hers again. He tried retracing his steps, wanting to hear the noise from her again, but either he'd mistaken what triggered her response, or it simply failed to produce the same result.

He licked his lips, his throat feeling strained and dry. "Show me how best to touch you," he said, and then added with a smirk, "I beg of you."

* * *

She snorted, rolling her eyes at him, but still she bit her lip and pushed herself up on her elbows. "Come here." She reached for him, smiling when he did as she asked, sliding her arms around his neck to urge him closer. "Kiss me."

He shifted his weight, stretching out beside her, his body pressed against hers but his hand stayed resolutely between her legs. She took her time, her tongue moving in lazy circles around his, savoring every second of being with him after spending so much time alone, longing for his touch. Jasmine learned early on to embrace her sexuality, and to own her pleasure. Her orgasm; her responsibility.

She knew what she liked, and usually didn't have any problem giving directions to the occasional clueless lover. Yet there he was asking her to show him the ins and outs of getting her off, and her heart acted as if she'd run a marathon, leaving her hands trembling. It felt different with _him_. What he wanted, what he liked, made him feel good … what he thought when he looked at her, when he touched her … actually _mattered_ and just the thought he might not find something about her attractive almost became more than her delicate ego could stand.

Annoyed by the level of courage it seemed to take, she ran her hand down his arm, settling her fingers over his. Moving his hand under her guidance, his fused fingers found her opening, dipping just barely inside of her before dragging her wetness back up to swirl around the bundle of nerves just above her clitoris. She knew many women who lost their minds over direct stimulation to their clits, who loved it when she nudged the hood back and went to town on the little nub so many men had trouble finding, but for Jasmine it felt too sensitive—creating discomfort not pleasure most of the time.

Thane picked up her directions much faster than most others, which really wasn't all too surprising for someone who spent most of his life training to develop exceptional muscle control and attention to fine details. The pads of his fused fingers worked the bundle of nerves, sliding up, down, and around in small circles with just the right amount of pressure, building her closer and closer to orgasm. There was more she wanted to show him, though, more she wanted to feel.

She urged his hand back down, lining his fingers up with her opening before guiding him inside, curling her body up to meet his hand, pushing his fused digits deeper inside. Without having to be shown, his thumb picked up the gentle massage against her nerves, the combined sensations sending a wave of pleasure through her, making her shudder. He pulled his mouth from hers; fine by her for the moment because she found she'd begun to neglect the necessity of breathing.

Relaxing back on the pillow, she let herself get lost in the moment, her eyes fluttering closed—feeling lips and tongue work their way back over her body, teeth sinking into her flesh here and there, stopping just before the sensation shifted to pain. He continued to move his hand, fingers sliding in and out, moving back and forth inside of her, thumb rubbing small circles until it disappeared and something warm, wet, and absolutely fantastic took its place. She opened her eyes just long enough to see his face buried between her legs, his tongue just as easily finding a rhythm to make her insides ache for release.

Soon, she couldn't keep herself from rocking her hips against his hand, which only seemed to make him more determined. Squeezing her breasts, she pinched her nipples, sending waves of pleasure rolling down her body to meet the ones working their way up from Thane's ministrations below. Everything felt hot and tight, filled to the brim, and she knew she was near to bursting. "Don't stop." The words rushed from her, barely more than a whisper. "Oh, God … please don't stop."

And then the undertow found her, dragging her down into the depths, shockwaves exploding through her, leaving a lightning show on the back of her eyelids. She cried out, bucking against him before her back arched, her joints locking in place, keeping her from moving, not even breathing until the undertow released her again. She collapsed back to the bed, flotsam being washed back to shore, gentle waves still lapping at her as she sucked in ragged breath after ragged breath.

He slid his fingers free, pulling another shudder from her body, before nuzzling against her thigh, leaving it wet with a mix of her own juices and his saliva. Kissing his way back up, he braced himself over her. Her arms, though just as weak as every other part of her, jumped at the chance to wrap around him as soon as he came within easy reach. She felt him staring down at her, and she opened her eyes, finding a warm, satisfied smile on his face.

She pulled him down, her mouth seeking his, tasting herself on his tongue. Reaching between them, she palmed his hard-on, disappointed to realize he still wore his pants. He groaned, pressing himself into her hand, reigniting a hunger in her twice as strong as before. Squeezing just a little, she rocked her hand back and forth, savoring the sounds he made. He stopped kissing her, his breathing rapid and shallow as he rested his forehead against hers, eyes closed.

She pulled at the button of his pants. "I want you inside of me."

He lifted his head, meeting her gaze, his brow quirking as if it shocked him to think she'd want more.

She grinned, raising her eyebrows in challenge. "Unless you've changed your mind?"

"No, siha." He brushed his lips over hers. "I want you more than ever."

* * *

It wasn't an exaggeration. He ached to be inside of her with an overwhelming strength he assumed he needed to fight against; believing she'd want time to recover. He still tasted the tartness of her when he licked his lips, felt the way her insides tightened against his fingers whenever he blinked, and heard the primal sounds ripped from her throat as her pleasure took her—pleasure _he_ brought her—every time she breathed. And it left him feeling unbalanced, intoxicated with lust.

He didn't hesitate to lend a hand when she struggled with his zipper, growling her frustration as she nipped at his lip in complaint. Leaving her felt like the worst kind of crime, but it'd be far easier and far quicker to remove his pants if he stood, so he pushed himself off the bed. Her gaze followed him, eyes hungry as she tracked his movements. He worked the leather down over his hips before reaching inside of his pants, shifting his erection out of the way as he shoved the pants down his front. She bit her lip when he freed himself, and he admitted seeing the look in her eyes as her gaze roamed over him pleased him greatly, filling him with a sense of pride in his own flesh. Something he hadn't really felt in many years.

He stood there a moment, watching her watch him, and he soaked in her beauty, hair splayed out around her head, her skin aglow. She reached out to him, and he lowered himself to the bed, kneeling between her legs. Resting his weight on his palms, he kissed her as she took him in hand, the sudden, inviting heat and moisture of her slick folds as she guided him to her opening nearly undid him completely. He sucked in a deep breath, using it to center himself, reining in his base urges in order to take the time to fully enjoy being with her.

He pressed forward, easing himself inside of her, feeling her slowly expand around him, her body adjusting to accommodate him in the most amazing ways. She lifted her hips, pressing into him, urging him deeper. Her arms wrapped around him, tugging until he lowered himself to his elbows, his chest resting on hers; she sighed, seeming perfectly content to have him right in that very spot.

Finding a slow, steady rhythm, he lost himself in her, pushing away stray memories before they stole him away from her. She didn't want 'slow' for very long, though, if her movements beneath him and her nails skimming over his backside were any indication. Truth be told, his own body begged for something more vigorous. He thrust deeper, moving a little quicker, and she moaned, scraping her teeth over his frills. Ankles locking behind his thighs, she used him for leverage, encouraging him in his quest for stronger sensations while lifting up to meet his thrusts.

Before long, he felt the unmistakable pull of the voice in the back of his mind. It always started as a whisper, slowly growing louder until it couldn't be ignored, shifting into an all consuming roar of raw, instinctual demand. The voice howled for him now. He kissed her before pushing himself back to his palms, giving himself a better angle to move even faster. She still clung to him, but didn't complain or try to pull him back down.

Her head tilted back, her breathing becoming increasingly erratic, and she began tightening around him. The tension in his own muscles grew, spurring on his movement, his heart pounding against his ribs. Her fingers kneaded his rear and his back, her nails digging into his scales as she pulled him into her. The sound of her moans filled his ears, pushing him closer and closer to the edge.

"Fuck. Oh God. Fuck, fuck, fuck." Her chanted, barely whispered vulgarities might've confused him if not for the way she moved with him. "Oh fuck." She punctuated her words with a strangled cry.

Jasmine's entire body tensed beneath him save for the wildly fluttering muscles surrounding his shaft, pushing him to the point of no return. A few more thrusts and a growl tore free from his throat. He buried himself as deep inside of her as possible, muscles contracting and releasing before contracting again, emptying him of every drop. His shoulders sagged, the locked joints of his elbows and wrists the only thing keeping him from collapsing on top of her. He hung his head as he worked to get enough air into lungs.

"Come here," she said, her body relaxing once more as she urged him back to her.

He let her pull him down, their bodies pressed flush as she held him tight against her. Resting his head next to hers, he turned his face until he found clean, fresh air instead of rebreathing the used air rushing out of him, staying trapped between their bodies.

Her grip on him loosened, her fingers caressing his back, tracing the curve of his shoulder blade. "Mmm. I really needed this."

He smiled before lifting his head enough to kiss her temple. "As did I."


	29. Family

**Family**

Thane rolled to his side, propping his head up on his fist, watching the bathroom door until she came back out again. She met his gaze and grinned, her hips swaying, enticing him as she made her way to the bed. Crawling on hands and knees, she reached him, pressing her lips to his. He slid his hand through the silken strands of her hair, holding her there to feel her mouth linger on his. She nudged his shoulder, urging him to his back, before stretching her body out against his side and settling into the crook of his arm. Her fingers traced invisible patterns over his chest, and she sighed.

He smiled, his heart beating out a contented rhythm beneath her touch. There remained so many things they needed to discuss, but neither seemed interested in breaking the tranquil silence for the time being. Stroking her bare shoulder and back, he soaked in the velvet smoothness of her skin against his scales, no less thrilling after a night filled with love making and sleeping with her in his arms. Morning came way too fast, and far sooner than he'd like, he'd have to leave her bed and return to the rehabilitation center.

 _Perhaps I can convince her to join me. It won't be exciting for her, but the time will pass so much more swiftly if she's there with me, and I won't have to be away from her. I wonder if I can convince her to read to me while I use the nebulizer, or perhaps even sing. She has such a lovely voice._

Jasmine groaned and buried her face against his side, pulling him from his thoughts.

"What's wrong, siha?" He ran his fingers over her hair, turning his head to get a better look at her.

"I'm hungry," she said, her words muffled against his ribs, "but I don't want to move and there's nothing to eat here."

He chuckled, gently easing her back until he could roll over to his side. One arm still beneath her head, he draped the other over her hip. "I have some time before I'm scheduled to see my doctor, we can go have breakfast together, or if you prefer, I can make us something back at the rehabilitation center."

"Mmmm. How are things with the treatments and everything?" The flicker of worry in her eyes warmed his heart.

Lifting his hand to trace the curve of her jaw, he smiled. "I'm well, Jasmine. I've made significant progress so far." He ran his thumb over her lips when she smiled. "I'll need to have tests run periodically and may need further treatments in the future, but my condition is completely manageable. I'll be able to leave Kahje in another month or two."

She pulled the corner of her lip between her teeth and quirked her eyebrows. "How do you feel about having company for a few weeks, then?"

His heart skipped a beat before quickening its pace. He'd been so sure they only had a few days together at most before she'd be gone again; feared asking how long she intended to stay in case she told him far less time.

Letting go of her lip, she turned her head a little until and kissed his thumb. "My new handler gave me a month's leave. I spent a couple of days on Earth with Geoffrey and his family before looking for you. I needed to make sure it wasn't a trick and no one followed me … but I figured I'd spend the rest of it here, if you're—"

He leaned in and kissed her, cutting off her words. "Nothing would make me happier." Overjoyed with the idea of having so much time with her after so much time apart—and so soon after they confessed their feelings for one another—he grinned, pulling her closer and kissed her again.

* * *

Jasmine took a sip of the still too hot _cinuela_ and hummed appreciatively. "Yours is better, but this is still pretty damn good."

He smiled, lifting his own cup to blow across the surface. "I'm glad you approve."

"So Kolyat's been coming to see you?" She sat the cup down and picked up her fork—or whatever drell called the double-pronged, skewering eating utensil—her growling stomach insisting it no longer be ignored. "That's huge progress. How's it working out?"

"Indeed. It was a surprise the first day he came with his uncle to the hospital. He quickly became … upset with me, but we were both able to say a few things we needed to and shared in each other's emotions. A moment of catharsis, just as much for me as for him." He took a swallow from his cup before setting it back down on the table and picking at his food. "Since that day, things have slowly gotten easier. I've seen him every few days to share a meal or talk about what he's learning in school. In fact … my apologies, I should've mentioned it sooner, but I've agreed to have dinner at Rone's house tonight. I—I didn't know you'd be here …." He seemed so torn with his mouth hanging open and his brow furrowing deeper, it looked almost comical.

"You don't ever need to apologize for making plans with your family, Thane, and the last thing I'd want is for you to miss a second with your son because of me." She smirked lifting a piece of fruit to her mouth—something tropical and native to Kahje. "Besides, you know where to find me if you want to see me afterwards."

He surprised her by reaching across the table, holding his hand out to her. She didn't expect him to be so keen on the idea of public displays of affection, particularly on Kahje. Even his suggesting they go out to eat breakfast shocked her. She didn't question him, though, if he felt comfortable with it, then so did she. She slipped her hand into his and he closed his fingers around hers, giving them a gentle squeeze.

"I most certainly do." He smiled, a glint of lustful promise sparking in his eyes before softening into something else. "Thank you, siha, for being so understanding."

She snorted and took a sip from her cup. "Anyone who doesn't get you wanting to spend time with your son, isn't worth having in your life." Setting her cup down, she leaned a little further over the table, lowering her voice even though being tucked back in the corner of the little restaurant gave them relative privacy. "Neither is anyone who doesn't understand—all things considered—why they shouldn't expect introductions to be made." She tightened her grip on his hand when he dropped his gaze, urging him to look at her again. "Hey, it's okay. Really."

"Thank you." He squeezed her fingers, brushing his thumb over the back of her hand. "I'm not entirely certain _I_ deserve _you_."

She smirked and shrugged. "Well, I mean, I am pretty amazing."

He chuckled, letting go of her hand to return to his breakfast. "That you are. I do want you to meet, Kolyat, though. I just think he needs more time."

 _What?_

She froze, fork halfway to her mouth. "Oh."

 _Wow._

"That is, of course, if you'd like to meet him." He stilled, his face void of emotion—intentionally so, no doubt. "My apologies, I didn't mean to assume anything."

"Oh, no, I do!" Jasmine slapped her palm to her chest, unsurprised to feel the rapid flutter of her heart. "I'd love to meet him, I just didn't expect for it to be something you'd _ever_ be comfortable with after everything …."

"I trust you, Jasmine, and I love you." He seemed to relax a little, the hard edges of his face softening once more. "I never would've told you about him, let alone spoken his name to you if I didn't feel certain no matter where you and I stand, you'd never seek to harm him to get to me."

"Of course not, and I know you'd never go after the people I care about either, but I still—I'd love to meet him sometime, when you think he's ready." She cleared her throat and took a drink of her _cinuela_. She needed some time to process. She didn't swear to understand how healthy, normal relationships were supposed to work—and hell, there wasn't much normal about either of their lives—but meeting her lover's kid, seemed like a pretty big deal.

Frowning, his gaze searched her face. "I've made you uncomfortable."

"No," she said, taking a deep breath and letting out a soft laugh at her own expense, "I don't exactly have a lot of experience with serious relationships. Leon …" She swallowed, shoving back the little ache in her chest. "Leon's the closest I ever got, and he sucked. He wasn't good to me _or_ for me. Hell, I didn't even know he had a family until I spied on him on Illium, years after we broke up. So this," she said, removing her hand from her chest to wave between the two of them, "and everything that goes with there being an 'us', is all pretty much new territory for me. And I guess, I just don't always know how I'm supposed to feel or react to things, but I love you and trust you, too."

He smiled, a soft, almost sad twitch of his lips. "I think we both have a lot to learn about relationships." Putting down his fork, he propped his elbows on the table and clasped his hands in front of his face. "Irikah understood these things. She tried to share her wisdom with me, but so much of it I failed to hear." His voice took on the heavy, sorrow laden tones she'd heard before when he spoke of his wife. Shaking his head, he looked down at his hands. "I wasn't good to her. I didn't know how to be and it scared me, confused me … insulted me. So I stopped trying without ever really meaning to." He met her gaze again and took a deep breath. "I want to be good to you, siha, and I intend to do my best for you, but I can't even begin to say I know what it entails. So, if ever there is something you need from me; if ever I'm not giving enough—or perhaps I'm giving too much—I promise I will listen, but you have to be willing to tell me."

She huffed but smiled, turning the fork over and over in her fingers. "So, no pressure on either of us or anything."

"Indeed."

* * *

Thane straightened his jacket and pushed the buzzer for Rone's house. He'd taken care to cleanse himself of Jasmine's scents before leaving the rehabilitation center. If he wasn't prepared to introduce her to them, then it'd definitely be unwise to show up for dinner smelling of her. Still, she lingered with him, her voice whispering in his mind and phantom fingers trailing over his scales.

After sitting with him for his treatment, she'd returned with him to his room, and although they'd only intended to have tea together, somehow much more happened. He learned Jasmine was prone to biting and digging her fingernails into his shoulders while trying not to cry out with her ecstasy, and he still felt her marks on his flesh every time he moved. She'd probably torn a few scales loose, but he felt certain some of the other residents heard them regardless. Clearing his throat, when he heard the door opening, he eased her from his mind and fixed an image of Kolyat firmly in her place.

Rone's wife, Kelena, answered the door, offering him a soft smile before stepping aside and gesturing for him to enter. "Thane, welcome. It is good to see you again."

"As it is to see you, Kelena." He stepped over the threshold, waiting for her to lead the way into her home. "I hope you've been well."

"I have, thank you." She dipped her head, leading him down the hall to where he could hear several others talking in hushed voices. "I have been told the treatments you are receiving have been most effective; this pleases me to know."

The hall opened up into a sitting room, traditionally furnished in muted colors with low, squat chairs arranged around a table just as close to the floor. Everyone stood when he entered, and Thane stopped. He didn't expect Aleha and Drali to be joining them let alone know what to make of their presence; particularly Aleha who, last he heard, disfavored his reunion with Kolyat. The pinched look on her face told him she still didn't approve, and seeing it felt like salt on fresh wounds. He doubted it'd disturb him so much if it not for how much she looked like her sister; the same rounded face with pale, multi-hued ocular scales and nearly identical markings, and—Arashu's grace, Aleha was with child. He blinked, averting his gaze from the telling swell of his sister-in-law's abdomen.

Kolyat caught his eye and smiled. "Hello, Father. Please, join us."

"Of course," Thane said, moving to Kolyat's side to rest a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Hello, my son, you look well." Taking a seat next to him as everyone sat back down, Thane smiled when Kolyat took it upon himself to pour him a cup of tea. "Thank you," he said, accepting the cup and taking a sip of the warm, fruity _elocol_. Letting his gaze settle on Irikah's siblings, he sat the cup down and smiled. "Drali, Aleha, it's good to see you both."

Rone was the oldest, and by far the most centered of Irikah's family. He looked like her in some ways, particularly when he smiled, but the comparison paled when next to Aleha. A little more than a year younger than Irikah, Aleha looked enough like her sister anyone without a drell or a salarian's perfect memory might easily confuse the two of them. Until Aleha spoke, at least. Their personalities were nothing alike. Where Irikah had been passionate and strong-willed, Aleha remained stern, a traditionalist through and through, but utterly lacking in anything close to passion. The woman allowed herself to be ruled by the ideals of order and her role within drell and hanar society. In many ways, he saw some of himself in the younger woman.

Drali, on the other hand, was something else entirely. Utterly free-spirited, the youngest child left Kahje at the first opportunity. He spent years traveling throughout the galaxy in his youth, only settling back on Kahje permanently after Irikah's death to help care for Kolyat. Another life course altered by Thane's mistakes. The opportunity to meet Drali only presented itself on three occasions, when his visits home happened to coincide with the other drell's, but they'd gotten along well enough.

Taller than all of his siblings and also lithe, Drali possessed a narrow build while Rone, Irikah, and Aleha all carried a broader frame with a more defined musculature and curves. The older three primarily had tones of green with subtle areas of teal or blue, especially along their markings, but Drali's scales were the color of sand in most places. Thane knew—from Irikah's descriptions of her brother—red rimmed Drali's black markings, but the color difference remained indistinguishable to his eyes.

He never met her parents—Irikah's mother passed away from Kepral's Syndrome, and her father worked the mines on an asteroid in the Relic system—but she once told him Drali took after their mother while she and the others looked like their father. Even after his time back on Kahje, it seemed clear Drali clung to the bits of other cultures he'd picked up in his travels. The clothing he wore looked to be of asari influence, and he sat with a posture Thane most commonly saw in human males.

He smiled at Thane, tilting his head back in acknowledgement as opposed to lowering his chin—as Thane saw many humans and turians do—and lifted his hand in a half wave. "It's been a long time. I wasn't sure I believed Rone when he said you came back to Kahje." Drali nodded, his gaze sweeping over Thane. "You look good. The Kepral's withered Mother so fast, it's good to see it hasn't done the same to you."

Aleha hissed, turning her gaze on her younger brother. "Drali, we need not speak of such distressing things, especially while Kolyat is present." She turned her attention back to Thane and dipped her head, folding her hands in her lap. "You do look well," she said, her voice and expression lacking any indication her statement meant anything more than she'd made a simple observation.

Thane cleared his throat and picked his cup back up from the table, more for something to occupy himself with than for want of a drink. "Thank you. Both of you. Indeed, I have been lucky."

"I do not find the topic distressing," Kolyat said, squaring his shoulders. "I heard the nurse tell Father it is likely his strict adherence to an exercise routine and his time away from Kahje has kept the disease from progressing at a faster rate." Pausing, he turned his attention to Drali despite the exasperated sigh Aleha gave him. "Perhaps it is not luck, but the differences in lifestyle between Father and Grandmother that is to be credited."

Rone chuckled, earning him a glare filled with ire from Aleha. He picked up his cup and took a sip before setting it back down, adjusting it on the cloth until it sat just so. "Kolyat, please do not antagonize your aunt."

Kolyat lifted his chin, a spark of defiance shining bright in his eyes. "My apologies, I do not intend to antagonize her, Uncle, but I am not an infant. There is no need for Uncle Drali to avoid speaking of these things simply because I am here."

Drali laughed, the sound like wooden wind chimes, immediately easing the tension in the room. "Oh, but he is Irikah's child."

Thane smiled despite the dull ache being there, with Irikah's spirit hanging over them all, brought for him. "Indeed he is."

Kolyat grinned, seeming quite pleased with the implied comparison, and it filled Thane with warmth and pride.

"Very well, Kolyat. You are right, you are no longer a small child in need of coddling." Aleha offered him a soft smile. "Perhaps the conversation is merely distressing to me, my apologies. I worry, far more, now that I am expecting my own child."

"Congratulations," Thane offered once she brought the subject up on her own. "May Arashu watch over you both."

Her smile faltered when she glanced at him, but she dipped her head. "Thank you, and may she watch over you as well."

Rone held his hand out to his wife, an unspoken question pulling his brow ridge up. She smiled, slipping her hand into his and nodded.

"There is something Kelena and I would like to announce. We wished to wait until we could tell everyone in person, it is why we have invited all of you here tonight." He glanced at his wife again, but she only dipped her head. Turning his attention back to the group, his gaze finally settled on Kolyat. "Kelena is also with child."

Thane muttered his congratulations, undoubtedly lost in the din as all the others began talking at once. Even Aleha let her excitement show, standing and moving around the table to pull Kelena into an embrace before kissing her brother on the cheek. If he'd felt out of place a moment before, the intensity certainly increased with the announcement. He hoped, for Kolyat's sake, the news didn't change anything for Rone and Kelena in regards to the security of his son's position within their household. Surely Rone would allow Thane to help pay for Kolyat's expenses with a child of his own on the way? It was the least he could do if the man agreed to continue to look after Kolyat.

 _What if they decide taking care of Kolyat is too much, even with financial assistance? I doubt Aleha and her husband are willing to take him in, they've not been a large part of Kolyat's life so far, from what Rone's implied, not to mention she's carrying a child of her own. Drali … well, he does seem to have settled into his years, perhaps …. He'd want to know why I don't take Kolyat myself, and I'd have to tell him the truth. Still, he'd be a better choice than I._

His heart slammed against his ribs, the thought of there being any chance he might have to take guardianship over Kolyat scared him more than he imagined. Even if he took everything he'd saved, retired, and found a place to settle down to raise his son on his own while working a normal job, Kolyat would _never_ be safe in his care. There'd _always_ be the chance someone might come looking for Thane again, seeking revenge for a life he took under contract.

 _What's changed since Irikah's death? I still don't know how to be a father. Kolyat's older now, though, nearly fourteen. His needs won't be the same as when we last shared a home. He's becoming a man now, what influence would I be for him. And what of Jasmine?_

He hated himself for even considering her a factor in such a decision, but he refused to ignore the happiness she brought him or how acutely he'd feel the loss if she weren't a part of his life. If forced to choose, he'd choose his son; always. He didn't believe for a second Jasmine would ever ask such a thing of him, but Kolyat might.

What life could they have—would Kolyat have—under such circumstances? She'd made it clear she didn't have any intention of a career change, and despite his past attempts to change her mind, she remained unswayed. He told her once before he didn't want to change her anymore, either, and he didn't. Their ability to accept one another for who they were and what they did meant everything to him; it brought them closer. Which also meant he could hardly expect her to settle down in one spot to be with him and his son. Even then, if she continued on as an assassin, her work—given time—just as easily made Kolyat a target to her enemies. Not to mention, he might not entirely understand relationships, but he felt _entirely certain_ asking her for such a commitment would be far too much too soon. Anything less, though, might hurt Kolyat—confuse him as to why his father involved himself with someone who never stayed with them, even after the heartache Thane's absence caused Irikah. After the heartache his absence caused Kolyat.

In the commotion, Drali squatted down in front of him. The sudden intrusion ripped Thane from his overwhelming thoughts and very nearly provoked a reflexive palm strike to the other drell's nose. Concern showed in the tight line of Drali's mouth. The light caught in the myriad of greens and browns of the man's eyes, reflecting Thane's own terror back at him.

"Are you alright?" Drali's gentle voice barely reached Thane's ears.

Thane blinked and opened his mouth to speak, not really knowing what he meant to say, but Drali saved him from trying to find some excuse to cover his obvious discomfort.

Nodding, as if answering his own question, Drali plastered a wide grin on his face and stood, turning to the others; effectively blocking Thane from sight. "This is cause for celebration! Thane and I are going to the market for dessert. Any special requests?"

* * *

"What do you think?" Drali held up a bottle of wine, showing Thane the label.

Thane chuckled and shook his head. "I think we're having dinner with two pregnant women and a child."

Drali shrugged. "Sure, but doesn't it just leaves more for us and Rone?"

"I'm not much for alcohol," Thane said, waving his hand, "and it's been forbidden while I'm on triheptate."

His brother-in-law sighed, tilting his head back to gaze at the ceiling. "Very well, for Rone and I, then."

Thane smiled when Drali turned a hopeful look his way. "I don't recall Rone being one to drink often either … but it is a celebration."

Drali grinned, paying for the wine before putting the bottle in the basket he carried draped over his forearm. He started walking again, moving on to the next stall, and glanced over his shoulder at Thane. "So … what happened back there at the house?" It seemed he'd lost all taste for the drell-adopted version of hanar etiquette during his travels, as well.

Thane let out a soft huff and scraped his thumbnail over his brow. "I'm afraid I allowed the moment to overwhelm me. My apologies, but thank you for giving me the opportunity to collect myself."

"I'm glad I could help." Drali stopped to browse fresh pastries, thankfully not pushing the issue. "It's good you reached out, Thane. I know Rone seemed apprehensive at first, but I think it's been a positive experience for him, too, not just Kolyat."

"This pleases me to hear." Thane stopped, spotting a few boxes of asari chocolates like those he bought for Jasmine on Illium; apparently they were popular enough to be imported on Kahje. Perhaps he'd drop by the markets again on his way to see her.

"You want chocolates?" Drali asked, returning to Thane's side. He picked up one of the boxes and turned it over in his hand.

A smile tugged at Thane's lips. "No, seeing them just reminded me of … someone I met on the Citadel."

Drali arched his brow ridges, a sly smile spreading across his face. "Someone special?"

Thane chuckled, ignoring the heat spreading over his frills and pushing away memories of his time with Jasmine before they swept him away. He brushed aside the question and pointed to a bin filled with a variety of candied nuts and berries—apparently a favorite of Aleha's. Drali asked the merchant to fill a box and paid for them, slipping the container into the basket before moving on.

"You didn't answer my question." He glanced at Thane, apparently unwilling to also let the new subject go. "Was it someone special?"

Thane took a deep breath and held it for a moment. Keeping his gaze straight ahead of them, he let the air seep from his lungs. "Perhaps."

"Good."

Thane glanced at him, his brow ridges lifted in surprise.

Drali laughed and put his hand on Thane's shoulder, pulling him to a stop. "Irikah would've wanted you to move on with your life. Why shouldn't I be pleased to know you have? It's been more than four years, Brother, nearly five." He started walking again. "We may not have had the chance to spend much time around one another, but I think I know you well enough to safely guess you didn't tumble into bed with the first man or woman you came across." Glancing at Thane, he smirked. "Now I, on the other hand, might've."

Thane chuckled and shook his head. "No, I most certainly didn't rush into anyone's bed. Quite the opposite, I admit. Only recently have I been able to allow myself to get close to another again." They walked in silence for a few steps before he spoke again, "I will never completely move on from Irikah, though. She's the mother of my child, and the first woman I ever loved."

Drali hummed, switching the basket to his other arm. "But not the last?"

"No," Thane said, giving him a slow shake of his head, "not the last."

"Love is good for the soul, Thane." Drali put his hand between Thane's shoulder blades for a moment, using the contact to emphasize his gentle words.

"Indeed." Thane glanced to the side, studying the other drell. "And you, Brother? Have you found love?"

Drali laughed and met Thane's gaze. "I have loved many, and will love many more, but like The Unwed, I can't imagine ever binding myself to any one person."

Thane hummed, watching the easy way Drali smiled and interacted with the crowd around him, the obvious charisma he possessed, as he made more purchases. Thane realized, in a moment of sudden clarity, why exactly he felt so comfortable around the younger drell—Drali reminded him of Jasmine. He smiled, thinking it truly a sign of Arashu's grace he'd met Jasmine first, otherwise, he thought his siha might be quite taken with his brother-in-law instead.

Once they started moving again, Thane said, "I admit, I'm relieved you are so accepting of the idea of my being with someone else. It's a topic I've dreaded addressing. I feared Irikah's family—Kolyat especially—might not take the news well."

Drali shrugged. "It might be difficult for Kolyat, but your son is strong. He's been through far more than most his age, and he has a lot of his mother in him. Rone … I think he'll be able to accept it if you choose to tell him."

"And Aleha?"

Drali scoffed, and waved a hand dismissively. "Do you really care what Aleha thinks?"

Thane took a moment to consider before nodding. "I do."

"You shouldn't." Drali stopped walking and turned to Thane, looking down at him with raised brow ridges. "Caring what that one thinks will age you twenty years in a day."

"Indeed." Thane laughed, but his mirth didn't last long. "I'd almost forgotten how much she looks like Irikah. It's painful to see a face so much like hers carrying the marks of so much disdain directed toward me."

* * *

"Father, I have something for you." Kolyat held something wrapped in cloth, handling it with all the care of spun glass. He looked up, meeting Thane's gaze and hesitated, glancing back at the object in his hands before holding it out to his father.

"What's this?" Thane accepted the gift, being just as careful as he began peeling back the layers of cloth.

"It was Mother's." The sudden grief in Kolyat's voice crushed Thane.

He stopped, looking back up at his son only to find Kolyat's eyes rimmed with tears. His heart ached with a pain he didn't think would ever really go away, no matter how many years he lived or how much time he got to spend with his son. Swallowing, he looked back down at the object in his hands and finished unwrapping the solid weight. He found a statuette of Arashu, her abdomen distended with pregnancy, even as she carried a child on her hip, a sword in her other hand. Carved from dark stone filled with veins of eezo, he recognized the statuette immediately—he'd given it to Irikah shortly after they became engaged. Tears welled up in his eyes, memories pushing their way forward, threatening to spill from his mouth.

Kolyat's fingers wrapped around Thane's wrist, pulling him back from the brink of losing himself to the moment. "I would like it if you take it with you when you leave again."

Thane turned the statuette over in his hands, tracing the fine lines of eezo with his fingers before swallowing again. All the talk of babies must've brought the decorative piece to the forefront of Kolyat's mind. He sat it down on the table next to him and met Kolyat's gaze. His throat raw with the need to wail his grief, he opened his arms to his son. "Thank you, Kolyat." He wrapped his arms around the boy, crushing Kolyat to his chest and kissed his son's head. "Are you sure you wouldn't rather keep it here with you?"

"I want you to have it, Father, and I think Mother would, too." Kolyat pulled back and swiped a hand beneath his eyes. "Besides, I still have other things that belonged to both of you as well. I can show you, if you wish to see."

"I'd like to, yes." Thane stood and followed as the boy led him down a hall and to a closed door.

"This is my bedroom." Kolyat opened the door and turned on the light. Stepping inside, he made his way to a low table tucked into the corner of the room and looked back at his father.

Thane lingered just inside the door for a moment, taking in the sights of all the personal effects of what he realized a boy's room _should_ look like. Something he remembered having himself before entering the Compact, but never again since. He and Irikah—mostly Irikah—began to build such a place for Kolyat before Thane disappeared from their lives. It pleased him as much as it pained him to see his son managed to have this special place of his own in Rone and Kelena's home; something he knew he'd never be able to give Kolyat himself.

Toys stood on shelves, a computer sat on a desk next to a design tablet, and holo-images of people, Thane didn't recognize, hung on the walls—some of them dressed in costume and others holding musical instruments. The entire room smelled so strongly of Kolyat, an ever-present reminder of what Thane failed to protect; what the child lost because of him. He pulled in a deep breath and moved to Kolyat's side—almost missing the pain in his chest from his illness, it once soothed the ache in his soul, a justified punishment for his sins.

Even when he tried to settle into a normal life with Irikah, he owned very few things outside of the tools of his profession and basic necessities. He saw most of those items now, situated on the table next to far many more objects once belonging to Irikah. There sat a photo-frame, shifting between pictures of Rakhana scenery, Irikah convinced him to buy one evening while they browsed the markets and she saw it caught his attention. Hanging over the edge of the frame, Kolyat placed a diaphanous scarf his mother use to keep draped over a lamp next to her side of the bed, the light filtering through the scarf giving the room a soft blue glow.

Next to the frame sat the conch shell Thane carried back with him from the beach one day after spending the afternoon reading up on a target while Irikah and Kolyat chased one another back and forth along the shore, laughing and squealing whenever the water washed up over their feet. He saw the prayer book Irikah gave him on their second anniversary, after Kolyat tore the pages from the one he had before. The edges appeared frayed, as if it'd been read many, many times. He wondered if Kolyat sought answers for his mother's death and his father's abandonment in the words held within the sacred tome. He hoped the book brought his son some solace.

Kolyat ran his fingers over the cover of the book and glanced up at Thane. "I understand if you wish to take your things with you, they do belong to you."

"No," Thane said, resting his hand on Kolyat's shoulder, "they are yours now. You should keep them and take care of them. I'm glad you chose to share this with me, though. It pleases me to know you have mementos of happier times in our life, especially these things of your mother's." He ran his hand over Kolyat's budding crest when the boy looked up at him. "She … she loved you dearly, Kolyat. As do I, and I'm sorry I haven't been able to show you my love through my actions, but I hope you know I feel it with every breath."

Kolyat glanced back at the open bedroom door before making his way over to close it, leaving them cut off from the sounds of his aunts and uncles in the living room. "Father …" He turned to put his back to the door. "Did you … forgive me for being so forward … did you love Mother?"

The words choked him, ripping the air from Thane's lungs and leaving his head swimming. He swayed on his feet before he fought back the tide of emotion and steadied himself once more. Kolyat watched, the blue of his eyes completely hidden in the shadows, concealed by his ocular scales. It gave Thane no hint of what other thoughts or emotions the child might be struggling with or what exactly prompted that particular question. Thane took a step closer to the bed and sat down on the edge. Leaning forward, he rested his elbows on his knees and clasped his hands together.

He dropped his gaze to the floor, reminding himself to take slow, deep breaths. "I did, yes. I love her still, and always will. Although, I realize I wasn't a good husband to her, or a good father to you. I—I didn't know how to be." He glanced up at his son when he felt Kolyat sit down next to him. "I didn't spend much of my childhood with my parents, didn't really get to see what a family is supposed to look like or how to handle the inevitable difficulties that come with family life. I let my own inadequacies keep me from being the man I ought to have been."

"Mother never talked about your family." Kolyat looked at his hands for a moment before meeting his father's gaze again. "I do not understand why you did not live with your parents."

Thane wasn't entirely certain how much he should tell Kolyat, but he didn't feel he could outright lie to his son, especially not after they'd both worked so hard to reestablish trust over the last few months. "I—you've learned of the Compact, yes?"

Kolyat nodded. "I have."

"Your grandparents—my mother and father—were raised in families holding to the Compact. At six, your grandparents gave me into the service of the Compact." Thane quickly sifted through the memories springing to life and pushed them aside. "I spent the rest of my childhood learning a trade as a means of serving the hanar. I never saw my parents again; hanar and the drell of the Compact finished raising me." Silence stretched between them, and when Thane looked at Kolyat, he saw fear in his son's eyes.

Finally, the boy asked, "Will I be given to the hanar?"

"No, you needn't worry, Kolyat." Thane gave Kolyat a resolute shake of his head. "As much as serving the Compact is meant to be an honor—and indeed I believe it to be an honor—your mother never wanted it for you." He smiled when the boy's shoulders relaxed. "You will stay with family until you are old enough to decide what _you_ wish to do with your life, and then you will be surrounded by people who love and support you as you learn how to become the man _you_ wish to be."

Kolyat lifted his chin and smiled. "I already know what I want to do with my life, Father."

"You do?" Thane arched his brow ridge, his own smile spreading across his face.

"I want to do medical research like Mother," Kolyat said with a nod, and then something sparked in his eyes. "Maybe I will find a cure for Kepral's Syndrome."

"Perhaps you will." Thane took a deep breath and turned his body toward Kolyat, taking the boy's hands between his own. "And, perhaps, one day, you will fall in love and start a family of your own, but because of all the love your aunts and uncles have shown you, you will be a better man than your father." As he spoke the words, he knew they were filled with truth, but it felt like ripping his heart out of his own chest and throwing it to the ground to be stomped on. "This is one of many things I wish for you to learn while living with Rone and Kelena. Rone is a good man, you will do well to learn from him."

 _Be like your uncle, Kolyat. Please, be like your uncle._

A knock drew both of their attention, and just as they turned to look, the door opened.

Rone filled the doorway, his gaze moving between Kolyat and Thane. "Ah, there you are. We are about to have dessert, if you care to join us."

Kolyat grinned, pulling his hands free from Thane's grasp and stood. He seemed to have already forgotten the weighted conversation as he rushed for the door. Rone stepped out of his way, brushing a hand over his shoulder as he went. Thane chuckled and pushed himself up from the bed, smoothing down his jacket. He glanced back down at the collection of tangible memories arranged neatly on the table next to the bed. Rone's soft footsteps approached, and Thane glanced at his brother-in-law.

"He spends time looking at these everyday," Rone said, nodding at the table. "More so since we first came to see you in the hospital. Having you here has been difficult, but I also think it has been good for him. However, I fear … even though he knows you will be leaving when you have finished your treatments, a part of him is not prepared to accept your absence again."

"I fear you are right, but I hope with my continued presence in his life—through vid calls and occasional visits—perhaps we'll find a comfortable … routine." Thane cleared his throat and tucked his hands behind his back. "You will have a child of your own soon."

"Indeed, though I confess I am concerned." Rone bent down to pick up a discarded shirt from Kolyat's floor and tossed it in the hamper less than half a meter away, avoiding Thane's gaze as he talked. "We have not spoken about it to many, but this is not the first time Kelena has become pregnant. We have suffered through two miscarriages over the years, but the doctors assure us everything looks perfect this time."

"My condolences. I can't imagine how heartbreaking it must've been for you both." The news made Thane feel even more terrible for leaving Kolyat and just expecting Irikah's family to take him in. How painful it must've been for Rone and Kelena to care for another's child when they'd been hoping to care for their own. "For what it's worth, I'm greatly pleased to hear her pregnancy is going so well this time. The two of you have been wonderful parents to Kolyat, but I know it can't compare to having your own. You will be a fantastic father."

Rone nodded, finally meeting Thane's gaze. "Thank you, Brother. I look forward to the full house. I believe Kolyat will take wonderfully to having a baby around, he has been excited for Aleha to give birth. He says he cannot wait to be a cousin."

Relief washed over Thane, leaving him feeling light and hopeful. He smiled, dipping his head. "He will be a great cousin."

"Indeed." Rone chuckled. "He asked if the baby can share a room with him when it's born. I suspect his enthusiasm will wane once the baby is actually here." He paused, his eyes moving with the familiar motions of a drell being tugged at by memories. After a moment he cleared his throat and said, "I recall being excited about Irikah, but when she arrived, and I realized how loud infants are and how much attention they require … how tired our mother constantly seemed for months afterwards …." He chuckled again and shook his head. "I asked my father if we might send Irikah back to Arashu."

Thane laughed and touched Rone's elbow. "And yet, you ended up being an excellent brother to her."

"Ah, I see she never told you the horror stories of our youth." Rone gripped Thane's shoulder and gave it a little shake. "Come, the others await us."

"A moment longer, if you will." Thane hesitated, unsure of how to broach the subject. "I—With a child of your own on the way, I thought I might remind you of my offer to provide financial support for Kolyat's care; it still stands. I'm more than capable of paying for whatever he needs."

The smile faded from Rone's face and he tucked his hands behind his back. "I appreciate the offer, Brother, but I must continue to decline at this time."

"I see." Thane dropped his gaze, looking at the floor between the two of them. "I don't—if you change your mind, the offer is always there."

"I suppose I should explain." Rone paused until Thane glanced up again. "I have always tried to be understanding about your profession, and truly, this is not a judgement on you as a person, but the credits you earn …."

"Ah. Of course." Thane rubbed his brow and shook his head, feeling completely foolish. He earned money by taking lives, and worse, it wasn't even sanctioned through the Compact anymore. In the eyes of all governments, Thane became a criminal the moment he started freelancing; the credits he earned illegal blood money. "I failed to consider how the particular way I earn a living might make it more difficult for you to accept … if there is any other way I can help …."

Rone nodded, patting Thane on the shoulder again. "I will let you know, and I promise if there is ever a time where it becomes truly necessary, I will not refuse your offer of credits."

"Thank you, Brother," Thane said, though it brought him little relief.


	30. Leave it Alone

**Leave it Alone**

Jasmine stretched out on the bed, her hands under her head and stared up at the rafters. She'd spent the evening wandering Enkindler's Pass while Thane went to go see his family. She had to admit, Kahje was a really pretty place. She felt bad for the drell living there, though. Their enclosed cities were amazing all on their own, but they spent so much of their time inside because of the ever present humidity on the planet. The island looked gorgeous, so much lush vegetation in so many vibrant colors. She'd even made her way to the shore and watched the hanar dancing on the waves.

Maybe Isaac really hit on something with the whole 'take in the sights' thing. She honestly couldn't remember the last time she felt so relaxed or … happy. Of course, she knew most of it simply came from _not_ spending the rest of her life in a little white room with her bed a meter away from a toilet. That, and from being able to openly and freely be with Thane. She knew damn well her presence on Kahje meant her every action outside of her hotel room must be observed and permanently cataloged in the minds of hundreds, but none of them knew her, and every last one of them just too damn polite to make her feel unwelcome.

If she took the time to think about it, she supposed it probably said something about her psychological profile for her to feel the most comfortable on an alien planet where she was, quite possibly, the only human. But on vacation, who had time to think about psych profiles and shit? Jasmine grinned and sat up, stretching her arms out over her head. She'd managed to find a stall in the markets selling wine, so at least she knew not all drell were as straight and narrow as Thane. It still kind of amazed her that she fell in love with someone so unlike her … yet, somehow so perfect for her.

She wandered over to the counter and poured herself a glass of the sweet wine before turning to lean her hip against the sink. She took a sip and smiled, wondering how late Thane would stay at his brother-in-law's house. She'd seen him in the markets a couple of hours earlier, walking with another man, she assumed it must be Rone. Though she guessed he might've just been someone else Thane knew from Kahje. Either way, she kept her distance and headed in the opposite direction as soon as possible. The last thing she wanted was to put him in an awkward position, and she knew if he spotted her, he'd wouldn't be able to keep his eyes off of her.

He'd been looking at her with such intensity, following her every movement with his gaze non-stop since he found her the night before. She saw how hard he struggled to let her walk out of his room at the rehab center, leaving him to get ready for his dinner plans. He acted as if her presence alone proved the existence of miracles, and if he let her out of his sight, she might disappear in a puff of divine smoke. Endearing, but also a little overwhelming at times. Still, she understood where it came from; between losing Irikah the way he did, and then having Jasmine leave him for months without a word and after such a rocky start … of course he didn't want her out of sight.

A soft, melodic chime sounded through the room, and she stopped, her glass halfway to her mouth and looked around. "What the fuck?"

Sitting down her glass, she stepped away from the counter and looked around the room again, trying to locate the source of the noise. A flashing light on the door monitor caught her attention just as the sound rang through the hotel room again. She snorted, leave it to the drell to make a door buzzer actually sound pleasant and non-intrusive. Stopping by the bedside table to pick up her pistol and holster it at her back, she crossed the room to the door and hit the button on the monitor to see outside.

A woman Jasmine didn't readily recognize from the hotel's front desk stood outside, fresh linens in her arms. A moment of paranoia swept through Jasmine. Sure, the drell _probably_ just came to change the sheets, but she _might_ be another assassin or a spy. Assuming the disguise of a hotel attendant was the cheapest, easiest ruse for someone in her field to gain access to a target's room. Also the most overplayed. It covered half the reasons Jasmine went for short-term rentals as opposed to hotels—no pesky staff wanting to come inside to clean up and snoop around. She'd asked around a little when she first arrived on Kahje, but the drell didn't have anything like the short-term rentals she wanted in Enkindler's Pass. She sucked on her teeth and opened the door. The woman looked up and froze, blinking twice when she saw Jasmine.

Resisting the urge to quirk an eyebrow, Jasmine offered the drell a friendly smile. "Hi."

Blinking again, the woman seemed to compose herself, a soft smile spreading across her face. "My apologies, I hope I did not disturb you." She glanced around the room behind Jasmine before meeting her gaze again. "I have come to tend to your room, if you would like."

"Um," Jasmine shifted her weight away from the doorway, stepping out of the way. "Okay, yeah. Sure. Thank you."

The woman dipped her head and stepped inside. "You are quite welcome."

She headed straight for the bed, and Jasmine watched her closely as she began pulling off the sheets, bundling them together and setting them aside. Every so often the woman looked up at Jasmine as she worked, or passed back by on the way to her cart in the hall, her expression filled with wary confusion. A soft sound outside the open door drew Jasmine's attention and she grinned, catching sight of Thane walking down the hall, a bag slung over his shoulder. Her gaze shifted back to the attendant, now dusting the vidscreen and tables—which, Jasmine felt fairly sure didn't actually need dusting.

Thane stepped over the threshold, drawing her attention back to him. His gaze swept over the room, assessing the situation, she thought, before settling on her. He smiled, reaching out to run his knuckles along her jaw. "Hello, siha. I brought you something," he said, his voice low and soft as he handed her a box of asari chocolates.

"Mmmm, is this a bribe?" Smiling, she arched an eyebrow.

He smirked, putting a hand on the small of her back, and she stepped closer, leaning into his side. They both idly watched the attendant for a moment, his hand rubbing back and forth across her back. The next time she glanced Jasmine's way, surprise flitted across the other woman's features, her eyes opening wider as her mouth moved soundlessly. Jasmine wondered whether she just didn't notice Thane's entrance, or if it disturbed her to see a drell and human standing so close together.

Jasmine glanced up at him and then back at the attendant, keeping her voice pitched low when she asked, "Should I tip her?" Her brow furrowed. "Is tipping even a thing here?"

He chuckled and shook his head. "No, just thank her for her service. The concept of tipping is generally considered insulting to drell and hanar."

"Hmm." She forced her features into a stoic mask as she met his gaze and whispered, "So, I shouldn't tip you after great sex?"

He let out a strangled cough, his frills turning a darker shade of red as he arched his brow at her.

Jasmine grinned, crossing her arms over her chest, tapping the box of chocolates against her ribs. "Never gets old."

* * *

She carried her wine and a glass of water back over to the couch, handing Thane the water before sitting sideways on the cushion next to him. He'd taken off his jacket, his bare arm stretched over the back of the couch. As soon as she sat, his fingers found her shoulder, brushing whisper soft over her skin.

He took a drink from his glass and leaned forward, setting it on the table before settling back against the cushion again. "How was your evening?"

"Adventurous." Jasmine stretched her legs out over his and sipped her wine.

"Hmm." His other hand drifted to her legs, fingers wrapping around her calf. "How so?"

She took another sip, savoring the feel of the gentle kneading he'd begun on her muscle. "Well, I wandered around for awhile. Watched a few dozen drell pretend to not be watching me. Said hello to a couple of hanar, which somehow opened the door to a half hour conversation about how wonderful the Enkindlers are." She snorted when he chuckled. "Came across a market and bought some food for the hotel room." She lifted her glass a little. "And wine. Saw you there—with Rone?"

"I didn't see you." His lips twitched a little, almost a frown but not quiet. "No, I was with Drali, Kolyat's other uncle. Ah, Irikah's younger brother."

She nodded, mentally attaching the name to the face and filing it away. "I didn't want you to see me." She grinned. "I didn't want to distract you."

He smiled shifting until his back pressed against the arm of the couch, bending his leg to sit sideways, and started using both hands to massage her calves and feet. "Where did you go after the markets?"

Jasmine sat the wine glass on the table and adjusted the pillows behind her, leaning back. Tugging on the hem of her shorts to keep them from creeping up even further, she stretched out a little more and picked her glass up again. "I came back here and put stuff away, and then I decided to check out the island a little. Answered a few non-question questions about Earth and why I'm on Kahje. Pretty sure I agreed to buy a timeshare on an asteroid." She grinned when Thane laughed. "Fought for my life against giant insects and carnivorous plants."

He tilted his head back a little and laughed again, the sound deep and robust. "Jasmine, there are no giant insects or carnivorous plants on Kahje."

She snorted and took a sip of wine. "I'm telling you these things were huge, and the plants were trying to kill me." She sat her glass down again and smiled, watching his fingers work their magic for a moment before looking back up at him. "How about you? How was dinner?"

* * *

He loved that she found the temperature on Kahje worthy of such little clothing, leaving so much skin exposed for him to enjoy. Undoubtedly, her outfit drew even more attention to her, while in the city in particular. Not because his people might find what she wore offensive, but it did emphasize the differences between his species and hers, and on a planet where most locals never encountered aliens in all of their lives.

Indeed, style of dress tended to be one of the more fluid aspects of drell culture. There were those like himself who prefered to cover themselves, but others wore almost no clothing. On Rakhana, his people rarely wore more than enough to be considered decent outside of professional or mixed social settings, and on Kahje, with the influence of the hanar—who didn't grasp the point of clothes—it remained relatively optional.

"You were afraid it meant they didn't want to take care of Kolyat anymore, weren't you?" Her voice pulled him back to the moment and the discussion at hand.

"I was." He ran his fingers along the ridge of her tibia and back down over the top of her foot before sweeping it up into his hand when she twitched. He pressed his thumb into the sole, rubbing deep, small circles. "And I admit, I'm greatly relieved to have learned otherwise." He let his words linger a moment before adding, "I suppose it only emphasizes my failure as a parent."

"I don't think so." She offered him a soft smile when he met her gaze. "I think anyone in your situation would be afraid of the possibility. But what if they did say they couldn't take care of him anymore?"

He pulled in a slow, deep breath, weighing his words out in his mind, afraid of what she might think of him. "If Rone and Kelena no longer felt willing to look after Kolyat, and neither Aleha nor Drali agreed to take him into their homes … I'd do what I must. Retire from this line of work and take Kolyat to the safest place I can find in the most secluded location possible. I'd do my best to support him working whatever jobs available to me… and live in constant fear for his safety every moment I'm not by his side."

She tugged her foot free from his grip, and he glanced up at her again, dreading the look of disappointment he thought he'd find in her eyes. Instead, she put her glass on the table and sat up, dropping her feet to the floor as she turned. Leaning to the side, she curled against his chest, her head resting on his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her, finding strength in her silent show of support.

He pressed his face to the top of her head and breathed deeply, she smelled strongly of the ocean and it stirred something inside of him, making him tighten his grip on her for fear she'd slip away. She snuggled in closer, sliding one of her arms around his waist to bury her hand between his back and the couch. Turning his head, he rested his cheek on her head and let out a soft sigh.

After a moment, he brushed loose strands of hair away from her face and said, "I don't wish to pry, and if you don't want to tell me, I understand, but I'd like to know what happened when you left Illium."

Jasmine stilled in his arms, and for a moment, he wondered if he'd crossed a line, but then she tilted her head back to meet his gaze and he knew all was well. Mischief, even if veiled in darkness, filled her eyes. "They tied me to a chair and tortured me for weeks."

He tilted his head a little and lifted his brow ridge. "I admire their skill, they didn't leave a single mark."

She grinned and settled her head back against his shoulder before letting out a weary sigh. "They took me to an undisclosed facility somewhere on Earth and kept me locked in a relatively nice cell. They took me out every few days to ask me the same, stupid questions over and over again." She tilted her head back again, her brow creased with her frown. "You might want to avoid using Saman as an alias for awhile."

He didn't say anything, only ran his fingers over her hair and the curve of her ear. She was alive and well, and there with him; the alias didn't make his list of his concerns after Illium. Her brow relaxed, and a smile replaced the downturn of her lips as she leaned into his touch before resting her head against him again.

"I don't think they wanted to let me go, or well, at least The Bitch didn't want to let me go." Pulling her hand from behind his back, she began fiddling with a buckle on his vest, not trying to open it, just scraping the metal edge over her fingertip. "She had everything she needed to set me free the entire time … Leon left a confession on his omni-tool."

"He did?" He stopped his caressing, mulling over the implications of such an action. Something about the final words Leon spoke the night he died lingered with Thane. Not the fact he told Thane to take care of Jasmine, although coming from a man who'd mistreated her, the words did disturbed him. What left Thane truly unsettled, was Leon telling Jasmine he knew she had it in her. Almost as if … he'd wanted her to kill him.

"Yeah." She pulled at his buckle. "He recorded a vid right after he knocked me out. Told them everything was his fault." She snorted, the sound filled with anger and pain; not a modicum of humor. "He even showed me in the vid, laying there," she said, lifting her fingers to the faint scar on her temple, "looking like shit with a cut on my face."

Anger swept through Thane, twitching the muscles along his neck and shoulders. He didn't know if it was because they held her for so long, seemingly without reason, or because of the audacity of her handler to not only cause her harm—someone by all rights he should've protected—but to record her while she lay unconscious and helpless. He stilled his emotions, not wanting his anger to carry through in his tone or his touch. "They didn't find this sufficient?"

"I still killed him. My handler; one of our own." She wriggled a little and lifted her shoulder, clearing her throat. "Someone leaked reports of a possible cyberattack on RetCorp—the program we used to clear Nevas' information, probably." She shushed him, reaching up to press her fingers to his lips before he gave voice to his apology, so he kissed her fingers instead. "The Bitch seemed to think it indicated some deeper conspiracy between Leon and I or something. RetCorp never confirmed the rumors, and I told her I didn't know anything about it …. Honestly? I think she just really wanted something to prove ulterior motives for killing Leon. She questioned our relationship a lot."

Jasmine sat up, the movement abrupt and jarring as she left his arms. "Okay, so here's the thing … Leon said something toward the end of the vid and before he finished, The Bitch paused it so I didn't get to hear it all." She swatted her hand through the air. "But it really, _really_ sounded like a wind up to something big." She gestured, her hands splayed out in front of her, jerking them a little in emphasis. "Like really big. And bad. About the Alliance. Or maybe just the Phantoms." She bit her lip. "I don't know. I know I should just leave it alone. Obviously whatever it was isn't something I'm supposed to know. But …."

He tilted his head a little, blinking at her sudden agitation in speech and movements. "But?"

She screwed up her face, scrunching up her nose and pursing her lips. "I can't get it out of my mind. He said I'm only loyal to the Phantoms because of something I don't know yet. 'She doesn't know yet.' He actually used those words, right before The Bitch stopped the vid." Her gaze locked onto his, penetrating him as she seemed to be searching for something, his opinion perhaps, or validation.

All he thought about, though, was how dangerous it'd be for her if she didn't 'leave it alone'. And if his experiences with her taught him anything so far: she didn't simply leave things alone. She picked at them, dug into them, especially when they somehow managed to become personal for her. "Jasmine …."

"I know, I know." She laid back down against him, her shoulders slumping in surrender. "I need to leave it alone."

 _But you won't._

* * *

 _I really should leave it alone, right? But I can't. I mean, there's obviously something going on. If whatever he said wasn't true, or even just ranting bullshit, she'd have let it play. Right?_

"Siha?" His voice touched on the peripherals of her consciousness, tugging at her mind just enough to warrant a response.

"Hmm?" She brushed her fingers over the scales exposed at the top of his vest.

His hand covered hers, lifting her knuckles to his lips. "You're brooding."

She sighed, forcing the crease from her brow. "I'm sorry."

"You don't need to apologize." He kissed her hand again before settling it over his heart. "Talk to me, share your thoughts with me."

 _I want to see the rest of Leon's vid._

She heard the restrained pleading in his voice, could tell her silence worried him. Hell, she'd seen the fear flash through his eyes as she talked about wanting to know what Leon said. She'd let it go, though, she would. She'd already promised herself she'd keep her head down and finish out her contract, and getting involved in whatever the hell bullshit Leon tried to drag her into _definitely_ didn't count as keeping her head down. She just needed a distraction.

She took a deep breath and smiled, willing herself to relax. "Mmm. I've got a better idea."

"Oh?" His tone cautious but hopeful, he picked at a lock of her hair, rubbing it between his fingers.

"Mhmm." She nodded against him; not the wisest idea as the belts of his vest scraped across her cheek. "I'm on vacation. Let's finish watching _The Hobbit_ and binge on chocolate, take my mind off of things."

Thane chuckled, the sound vibrating through his chest and tickling her ear. She looked up at him and grinned. He put a finger under her chin, tilting her head back a little further and leaned in to kiss her.

The worry eased away from the corners of his eyes. "Whatever you'd like, siha." He kissed her again, soft and chaste.

* * *

Jasmine listened to his steady breathing, trying to decide whether his lungs sounded clearer than they did on Illium or the Citadel. She didn't remember ever thinking they sounded bad, though, and with so much time lapsed …. His heart certainly sounded strong. She nuzzled against his scales and pressed her lips to his chest. He hummed, his arm wrapping tighter around her even though he slept. She figured he must be like her—like all assassins—never truly surrendering to sleep in its entirety.

It'd been a wonderful, relaxing night together. They'd watched the rest of one of her favorite movies, talked about their favorite characters—his was Gandalf, _of course_ —and devoured the box of chocolates he'd brought her. They'd laughed and joked and things seemed really good.

 _So why am I awake?_

She closed her eyes and focused on her breathing, taking slow, steady breaths to try and clear her mind.

 _Because I can't stop thinking about Leon and his fucking confession. I wonder if The Bitch destroyed the vid when they released me or kept it on file. Not that they'd give me access to it either way. Fuck! Go to sleep, Jasmine._

After a few more deep—yet utterly pointless—breaths, she sighed and gave up. Easing herself from Thane's arms, she paused when he grumbled in his sleep, waiting for him to settle again before crawling out of bed. She made her way to the bathroom and used the toilet, casting baleful glares at the drell version of a shower. She wanted a hot, steamy, shower. Something able to turn her skin red and chase the demons from her head. Apparently, it simply didn't exist on Kahje. Which made sense, she supposed. The drell did come from a desert planet and humidity was apparently their arch-nemesis. So why wouldn't they create a shower using dry powders and sound waves to cleanse themselves? At least they had running water in the sinks.

Jasmine sighed and washed her hands before leaving the bathroom. Seriously considering taking a sleeping pill, she sighed and pushed the thought away. She kept those for last resorts, only. She hadn't worked through her bag of magic tricks to get herself to sleep yet, so the pills would be cheating, and cheating with pills was dangerous for her.

Stopping in the middle of the room, she watched Thane for a moment. She smiled at how peaceful he looked, one hand shoved under his head, the other resting on his chest, his features completely relaxed as his eyes danced beneath closed lids. Letting out a wistful sigh, she moved further away from the bed, picking an open spot of floor near the door and began stretching.

* * *

Thane reached out, his heart skipping a beat in his chest when he found only empty space instead of her warm body next to his. "Siha?" He opened his eyes, lifting his head, gaze sweeping over the room. Breathing in a sigh of relief when he spotted her, he relaxed back against the pillow.

She didn't seem to hear him when he called out to her, so he watched her silhouette move in the darkness. The stance unfamiliar to him, still he recognized the purpose of the slow, measured movements broken by spurts of fast strikes to the air before she resumed the wave-like dance. She lifted her leg into the air, her body tilting to the side as she rotated, letting her leg drift back down, her foot planted on the floor with her knees bent in a light lunge. Twisting at the waist, her hands swept through the air, as she dipped lower to the floor.

He pushed back the sheets and sat up, lingering on the edge of the bed for a moment before standing. On silent feet, he made his way to her, realizing as he got closer to her that she'd closed her eyes as she moved. He knew the moment she became aware of his approach, a smile lifted the corners of her mouth and her stance shifted. She pivoted, opening her eyes and struck at him, the movement controlled and slow enough to be an invitation as opposed to an attempt to cause harm

He sidestepped, grabbing her wrist and using his other hand to lock her elbow in place. He knew the dark hindered her ability to track his movements as effectively as he did hers, but she seemed comfortable with the idea of sparring blind. Oh, surely she saw him, the night didn't leave her completely blinded, it wasn't pitch black in the hotel room, but dark enough to clearly give him the advantage.

She grinned, turning toward him so her trapped arm stretched across her chest and aimed a palm strike at his solar plexus, forcing him to release her elbow and step back. She rolled her wrist, reversing the hold and spun around him. He danced away from her before her kick connected fully with the back of his knee, but still her heel caught the loose fabric of his pants. Using her grip on his wrist, he turned and tugged, pulling her closer to him and hooked his ankle behind hers, jerking her off balance but she stayed on her feet, shifting her weight to the other foot and releasing his wrist.

He aimed a light jab at her ribs, fully expecting to make contact, but she struck his shoulder, shifting him just enough his punch went wide, missing his mark. She hopped back a little, putting space between them again before her fist darted out, nearly catching his jaw before he dodged. She'd gotten better, but he doubted if she'd hold up as well in a real fight with him. Then again, he couldn't imagine ever finding himself in such a position with her again.

They moved around the hotel floor, taking shots and dodging, twisting and turning around one another in the darkness. It amazed him how utterly alive she made him feel, how invigorated. Even with something as simple as sparring, she breathed life into him. Granted, it'd been many years since he'd trained with a partner, but he never missed it until that moment. He moved around her, checked her shoulder to keep her from turning, his hands moving to the base of her skull and her chin before halting the motion.

"Damn." She collapsed back against him, her shoulders rising and falling with her labored breathing.

He let his hand drift away from her head and moved it to her hip, the other trailing down her neck, fingers gliding through the light sheen of sweat just above the neckline of her tanktop, dipping low over the swell of her breasts. She reached behind her, wrapping her hand around the back of his neck and arched her back, pressing her backside against him suggestively. He moaned, desire roaring to life inside of him. Lowering his head, he scraped his teeth over the side of her throat, lapping up the salt on her skin.

Her fingers kneaded his muscles and she tilted her head to the side, humming her encouragement. He tugged at her shirt, pushing it up and sliding his hand beneath, soaking in the feel of her hot, moist skin as he splayed his fingers out over her abdomen. Sweet Arashu, he loved the way she felt against him, soft and firm in all the right places. He loved the way she tasted, like ocean and the sweetest of fruits. Dragging his hand a little higher, he cupped her breast, squeezing and lifting. He bit her neck, pinching her nipple, and she shuddered against him.

Turning in his arms, she lifted her shirt over her head and tossed it aside, pressing her bare chest against his before wrapping her arms around his neck and covering his mouth with her own. Sliding his hands down her back and over her rear, he bent his knees, gripping her thighs to lift her, and she wrapped her legs around his waist.

* * *

Something in him shifted, she felt it, he was being pulled away from her; drawn to somewhere else, another time and place with Irikah. She lifted her head, pulling herself up to run her tongue over his frills and nuzzled against his ear. Her voice low and throaty when she said, "Stay with me, Thane." She nipped at his jaw and whispered again, "Stay with me."

He muttered something incoherent she didn't quite make out, and he shifted his weight to one arm, using his other hand to cup the back of her head and tangle his fingers in her hair. "I'm here, siha. I'm with you." Guiding her head, he brought his mouth to hers, his tongue parting her lips with ease.

She leaned back against the pillow, satisfied his mind was exactly where she wanted it as she pulled him down with her, refusing to break the kiss. She rocked her hips, meeting his thrusts, letting herself get lost in him again.


	31. Deep Breath

**Deep Breath**

Thane watched her sleep, his head resting on his palm. Even after spending four days with her, it still amazed him to actually have her there on Kahje, with him. The steady rise and fall of her chest, sheet twining around her to leave one breast exposed, drew his gaze. With her arm stretched up, bent to wrap around her head, it pulled the skin taut over her ribs, each bone standing out in relief against the dips in between.

Dreary, weak rays of sunlight filtered through the dense clouds and then again through the shutters of the window, spilling over her, made more radiant simply by touching her. He smiled, knowing the very moment, the memory of her sleeping so peacefully next to him, would be one of many he now possessed to help carry him through the lonely nights to come. He'd cherish every minute spent with her, not just because he knew she'd have to leave him again soon, but because he failed so miserably to cherish Irikah, and he refused to make the same mistake again.

 _Never._

He knew it'd wake her, but he found the urge to trace the lines of her ribs irresistible. The hitch in her breathing came the instant he made contact, a soft hum a second later. Glancing up, he found her sleepy gaze watching him, a soft smile on her face. Running a finger along the curve of another rib, from her side all the way up to where it met her sternum, he settled his palm down over the soft beating of her heart before bowing his head to kiss each visible mound.

Bringing her arm down, Jasmine splayed her fingers out over his shoulder before running them down his back. "Good morning."

"Good morning." He smiled, pressing his lips to her chest again, soaking in the flower-petal smoothness of her skin before pulling back to meet her gaze. "My apologies, I didn't mean to wake you."

She spasmed beneath his hand with a soft snort, her grin growing. "Mhmm. Liar."

Chuckling, he leaned in to kiss her, holding her lower lip between his for a moment. When he pulled back again, he raised his hand to brush the back of his fingers over her cheek. "Indeed, it was a risk willingly taken for the chance to touch you."

She pulled him back down, her lips finding his again. "I love you."

"And I you." Trailing his fingers back up her cheek, Thane tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "What would you like to do today?"

"Mmm, I don't know." She scrunched up her nose, and he grinned, joyful at her being able to be so relaxed, carefree and playful with him. "Let's start with breakfast and go from there."

* * *

Jasmine laughed before taking a sip of her juice and setting the glass back down. "You seriously waited for him to get undressed before taking the shot? Did you find him attractive?"

"No, not exactly." Clearing his throat, he shifted in his seat. "I was fourteen then, undergoing puberty. My body, changing rapidly and I—there was a curiosity … a desire to ..."

She lifted an eyebrow, amused as much as his sudden, apparent discomfort confused her. "... to compare yourself to him?"

"Indeed." His tone held a level of uncertainty, and his brow twitched. "I'm told it's normal."

 _Oh. He really doesn't know. Christ, why would he? He didn't have an actual childhood, didn't grow up in a setting that'd be conducive to those sorts of conversations with others his age or adults._

Nodding, she offered him a soft smile when he met her gaze. "It's normal."

One corner of his mouth lifted up before he turned his attention back to his plate, cutting into an egg with his fork. "What about you? Did you compare yourself to someone as well?"

"Sure." She nodded again, picking at her own eggs, idly curious as to what creature they came from. "At first my mom, and then later some of the older girls in the foster system."

He stilled, his gaze returning to hers. "Your mother, of course, my apologies." He blinked, inner eyelids sliding over his eyes first, followed by the outer pair a second later. "I hope I haven't made you uncomfortable, siha."

Shrugging, she finished chewing her bite of food and took a sip from her glass to wash it down. "You didn't, don't worry about it." It'd taken years, but she'd reached a point in her life where talking about her mother—so long as it didn't pertain to her suicide—didn't send fresh waves of grief to batter her soul.

She offered him a reassuring smile before letting her gaze sweep over the restaurant, the itchy feeling of being watched setting her on edge. It'd been a near constant companion since she stepped foot on Kahje, but this felt more … intense. Her gaze snagged on a familiar face, dark eyes locked onto hers before shifting back and forth between her and Thane, curiosity tugging at his features. She let her gaze linger only a second before moving on, her mind scrambling to place the sand-colored drell.

 _Drali. Shit._

Clearing her throat, she turned her attention back to Thane. "Ah, there might be a problem."

He stilled again, holding her gaze, and she knew he prepared himself to spring into action if required. "What's wrong?"

She forced a smile on her face, despite the queasy feeling in her stomach. "If I'm not mistaken, the man watching us at my left, by the counter, is Drali."

Thane's lips parted, but he didn't say anything, glancing down at his plate before looking over at the drell in question. She let her gaze flit toward the drell, too. The man smiled, lifting a brow ridge, and Jasmine knew she was right, though she wished she'd been wrong.

"I can leave," she said, looking back at Thane and keeping her voice low. "We can meet back up later. You can just tell him I'm someone you know from work or something."

Turning back to her, his shoulders relaxed and he reached over, taking her hand. "No, this is a good thing." His nod seemed more for his benefit than hers, but he squeezed her fingers.

She raised her eyebrows, glancing between Thane and Drali, the other man lingering at the counter. "You sure?"

"I am." He brushed his thumb over the back of her hand. "Do you mind?"

She smiled, pushing aside the butterflies nesting in her stomach, and shook her head. "I don't mind."

 _Oh, Jesus Christ, this is big._

Thane smiled at her when she tightened her grip on his hand. Glancing back at Drali, he gestured at the other drell, waving him over. He smiled, all teeth, as he dipped his head and made a beeline for their table. Despite her reassurances, Jasmine let go of Thane's hand as his brother-in-law made his way closer, tucking both of her hands in her lap. She smiled at Thane, hoping to lessen any sting her retreat may have caused. It just felt too intimate of a gesture in front of his dead wife's brother. If it bothered him, he didn't let her see.

Thane stood to greet Drali when he arrived at the table. "Hello, Brother, it's good to see you again. Please, won't you join us?" He motioned to the empty chair across from her.

"I'd be delighted," Drali said before turning his gaze to Jasmine. "That is if your friend doesn't mind?"

She smiled and waved her hand at the chair. "Not at all."

* * *

Thane leaned back in his chair, his heart filled with joy as he watched the woman he loved laugh and joke with a man he'd always consider family. For his part, Drali's charisma and open acceptance of Thane's relationship with Jasmine worked wonders to put her at ease. When Thane turned his palm out to her in offer once more, she showed no hesitation sliding her hand into his.

"You're from Earth?" Drali asked, his gaze locked on Jasmine as he leaned his forearms against the edge of the table.

She nodded. "I am. You ever been there?"

"I have, actually." He smiled, head bobbing in a quick nod. "In twenty-one seventy-four, but I only stayed there for two weeks Earth time."

Jasmine cocked an eyebrow, her smile steady on her face. "Oh yeah? Where were you?"

"A place called Las Vegas in the United North American States." Tilting his head a little to the side, Drali studied her. "Have you been?"

Her fingers twitched in Thane's hand, drawing his attention firmly back to her. She blinked, and he saw the shift in her expression—subtle enough he doubted it'd mean anything to Drali—but to Thane's trained eye, it spoke volumes. It told him she'd begun crafting her expressions, only letting show what she wanted to be seen, the same as she did with him when they first met.

 _Something about the place Las Vegas struck a chord with her. Perhaps she'll tell me about it later._

The corners of her mouth turned down, and she shook her head. "No, can't say I have, but it's a pretty well-known city. Famous, even."

She lied; he felt almost certain, which probably meant she'd been there for work. He brushed his thumb back and forth across her knuckles, and she gently squeezed his hand.

"It's the last desert I visited. Ah, the warm sun and dry air." Drali grinned, his easy smile lighting up his face. "Beautiful. The month you call July? I'm told the temperatures are the highest in Las Vegas then."

Her jaw clenched, an ever so faint movement, and she nodded. "Yeah. Vegas is a pretty big place. Lots of people, lots of casinos." Her voice remained light and level. "Did you know someone there, or were you just sight-seeing? Losing all of your credits?"

 _They were there at the same time. She's searching for something in specific. Interesting … and perhaps alarming. Nonsense. She'd no more harm my family than I would hers._

"Oh, I traveled there with a friend, Nathaniel. He wanted to visit family, so we spent most of our time away from the bright lights." Drali laughed before taking a sip from his water glass. "I can't say they seemed very pleased he brought an alien home with him, but I did have the opportunity to visit some of the open desert area," he said with a grin, "away from the noise of civilization."

Jasmine smirked, her thumb idly running over Thane's fingers, seeming to relax a little. "Hmm, I'd have taken you for a 'people person.'"

"Oh, I am." Drali raised his brow ridges. "I love people. It's just nice to get away sometimes, too." He speared a piece of _hannalene_ , lifting it to his mouth before asking, "What about you, Jasmine? Are you a 'people person'?"

She laughed, the sound genuine to Thane's ears, bringing a smile to his face. Glancing at him, she raised her eyebrows. "What do you think? Am I a 'people person'?"

Thane chuckled, lifting her hand to kiss her knuckles. "I believe you are."

Her smile grew, one corner of her mouth raising higher than the other. "Yeah?"

"Indeed," he said and dipped his head.

"So, Brother," Drali said, drawing Thane's attention back to him, "tell me how you were lucky enough to win this beautiful woman's heart?"

She snorted, and Thane glanced at her. Gaze flicking to Drali before returning to him, her eyebrow twitched up as she waited to see what he'd say.

Smile widening, he chuckled and kissed the back of her hand again. "I'm not sure I know myself."

Drali made a very human-sounding, whiney 'aww' noise—reminding Thane momentarily of Rift—as he glanced back and forth between the two of them. "Don't be coy, tell me how you met!"

Thane pondered it a moment, observing Jasmine as she dropped her gaze back to her plate, leaving him to decide what he should tell the man on his own. He supposed he should tell Drali _something_ about how they met, even if he couldn't tell his brother the absolute truth. He had no reason to believe Drali knew what he did for a living; even if Irikah did confide in Rone, Drali lived offworld and was unlikely a source of emotional support for his sister as was Rone.

He took a sip from his cup, savoring the tartness of the _elocol_ before clearing his throat. "We met while working on the Citadel. I'm afraid she didn't care for me much at first; I managed to offend her, unintentionally, of course."

Jasmine huffed, just a soft breath of air and returned her gaze to him, mischief dancing in her eyes. "I still think it was intentional."

"Oh?" Drali lifted a skeptical brow ridge. "What did he say?"

She snorted. "He told me I'm bad at my job."

"Thane said this to you?" Drali's brow ridge hiked up even higher in apparent disbelief. "This man, right here?" He gestured at Thane, and when Jasmine nodded in confirmation, he turned his gaze to Thane. Drali shook his head. "I don't think I've ever heard you say anything less than polite."

"Those weren't my exact words," Thane said in his defense, realizing his exact words wouldn't sound any better.

Apparently, Drali wasn't willing to let it go quite so easily. "Well, then what _did_ you say?"

Thane chuckled and shook his head. "It doesn't matter, the point is I didn't really intend to offend her, but I did, and she held it against me for some time. Eventually, however, I succeeded in convincing her that I felt truly remorseful for upsetting her, and we became friends. From there …." He trailed off, waving his free hand.

* * *

 _Leon drops to his knees, shock clear in his eyes as blood spreads across his shirt, soaking through the white fabric like crimson roses blooming in spring._

You goddamned sonofabitch, why did you do this?

 _He flings out his arms, trying to catch himself as he collapses on the balcony. She keeps moving, pushing aside the tremor in her hands, pulling in a slow, deep breath to fight back the lingering woozy feeling from being hit in the head. The bastard_ pistol-whipped _her. She feels Thane's gaze on her, tracking her, and she hears the desperate, frightened sounds from Nevas, but she continues to stare at Leon as she edges around the couch. She can't look at Thane, can't let herself feel anything else right now. She has a job to do; she needs to finish this—needs to kill Leon._

Treacherous, psychotic asshole.

 _She takes another step, and then another; watching as Leon coughs and shoves himself over to his back, his gaze locking onto hers as she approaches. Thane edges his way into her peripheral vision, his movements cautious, as if he's afraid he'll set her off. She doesn't stop, though, her boots crunching over broken glass, grinding it into the floor as she reaches the balcony door._

 _Leon holds her gaze, a hundred emotions dancing over his eyes. Eyes she once longed to see more than any others. Eyes that use to look at her with lust and something she thought was love, making her feel beautiful, empowered, and oh so eager to please him. They settle on pride. Now, in the last moments of his life, he_ finally _looks at her with pride. She levels her gun, aiming right for the center of his forehead. Coughing, blood sprays from his mouth, coating his teeth in a sickly, washed out red._

 _He smiles at her. Smiles! "Knew you had it in you, love."_

You sonofabitch. I hate you. I fucking hate you.

 _His gaze shifts to Thane. "Take care of her."_

 _Take care of her. The audacity._

" _Go to hell." She squeezes the trigger, and the bullet rips through Leon, making his head bounce on the balcony floor, the spark of life draining from his blue eyes._

Jasmine's eyes snapped open, the now familiar shapes of her hotel room casting shadows in the darkness of night. She sucked in a sharp breath of dry, warm air. Thane stirred next to her, and she turned her head to look at him, heart pounding in her chest. If not for the reflection of moonlight off the dark layer of his eyes, she wouldn't know he was awake and watching her.

"You were talking in your sleep," he said, voice soft with sympathy. He lifted a hand to her face, his finger skimming over the faint scar on her temple. "I wasn't sure whether or not I should wake you."

Rolling over to face him, she closed her eyes and scooted closer. Burying her face against his chest, she breathed him in, letting his scent fill her lungs and chase away the lingering images of Leon's dead eyes. He shifted, wrapping his arms around her, a hand cradling the back of her head.

After long minutes of silence, nothing but the sounds of their breathing stirring the air, Jasmine licked her lips and whispered, "I need to know what the rest of his vid said. I can't just let it go. I _can't_."

He kissed the top of her head, his fingers running over her hair. "I know, siha. I'll help however I can."

* * *

Jasmine chewed on her thumbnail, staring at the glow of the laptop's desktop. She really didn't know where to even start. Theodus might be able to help, but as she'd already told Thane, she didn't want to risk putting his contacts on the Alliance's hitlist by involving them in something likely requiring them to hack into the Alliance's secured systems. And, so far, Theodus was the only one of Thane's contacts she'd dealt with personally. The fewer sources traceable to her, the better.

"Perhaps we start with something smaller?" Thane suggested, tugging her hand away from her mouth to hold between both of his. "Gather more information on Leon and his family—perhaps any part of his service record that might be available to the public? It might give you some clue, a lead to follow."

 _Why are you doing this with me? Don't you know how stupid I'm being for even_ thinking _about pursuing this?_

She sighed. "I shouldn't be involving you in this, either."

"Siha," he said with a chuckle, leaning in to kiss her, "I'm involving myself. I understand the risks, and I'm far more concerned by what will happen to you should things go badly than what will happen to me."

She snorted and rolled her eyes. "Well, I'm worried about what will happen to you."

 _I'd never forgive myself if anything happened to you because of me … something you should understand._

He traced the line of her jaw, the smile from a moment before fading, his tone turning serious. "Jasmine, these are the risks I take on a daily basis, particularly since becoming a freelancer. I've taken these risks for strangers, allow me to take them for someone I love."

Huffing, she leaned against his side, pulling the laptop a little closer and accessed the extranet.

* * *

He hated seeing her so frustrated, but unfortunately he didn't really know what else to do to help her if she remained unwilling to make use of his contacts. His hacking skills were minimal, enough to get him through most locked doors and corrupt security systems, but nothing on the scale she needed if she wished to retrieve information from the Alliance servers—let alone do it without getting caught. He wasn't even sure Theodus would be up to such a task; it seemed more along the lines of the type of work he'd go to Avalina with. Theodus was better equipped for gathering information and making things disappear from civilian, corporate, and local police servers—not military.

She leaned forward, setting the laptop on the table and sighed, pulling her hair free from the elastic band before running her fingers through the thick strands. "I'm not finding anything useful."

"Why don't we take a break? I'll make us something to eat." He pushed her hair behind her ear before rubbing the back of her head, hoping to soothe her before her mood worsened.

Turning to look at him she took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah," she said, but then she leaned into him, pressing her lips to his, keeping him there on the couch. Pulling her legs up, she turned and crawled on top of his lap, a knee on either side of him, and wrapped her arms around his neck.

He slid his hands around her waist, pulling her in closer as she deepened the kiss, her tongue tasted of _cinuela_ as it slipped past his lips. After a moment, her mouth disappeared, and she rested her forehead against his. Opening his eyes, he reached up and brushed her hair aside, running his thumb over her cheekbone.

She smiled, lifting her head to meet his gaze. "Thank you for trying to help."

"Of course, siha. I love you." Truly as simple as that; he loved her, and he'd do anything within his power to help her.

"I love you, too." Pushing back, she set her feet on the floor and stood up, leaving him longing for her warmth and wanting to pull her back again. "Maybe I should call Theodus. Have him just stick to what's easy for him to access, low risk stuff."

Thane stood, pulling his jacket off to drape over the back of a chair. "I think it'd be wise. Theodus isn't likely to extend himself beyond what he can achieve without putting himself in danger." He made his way to the small kitchen area, much smaller than even his room in the rehabilitation center, and washed his hands before opening the compact refrigeration unit.

She followed him, leaning against the counter. "You sure?"

"I am." He glanced at her before turning his attention back to the refrigerator and chuckled. "There's barely anything in here." He looked back at her, raising a brow ridge.

She scrunched up her face. "Order in?"

Laughing, he closed the door on the refrigerator. "I suppose we'll have to."

He moved to reclaim his jacket, but Jasmine snatched it before he reached the chair. Grinning at him, she slid her own arms inside, pulling at the lapels. She held her arms out to the sides and spun slowly. He tilted his head to the side, watching her, finding it oddly gratifying to see her wearing his clothing—even if the jacket dwarfed her, nearly swallowing her completely.

"What do you think? Does it suit me?" She bit her lip before shoving her hands in the pockets. Her brow twitched and she pulled one of her hands back out, the elastic band of hers he kept pinched between her thumb and forefinger. Gaze shifting from the stretched out band to him, she raised an eyebrow. "Stealing my stuff, Krios?"

Chuckling, he made his way over. Sliding his hand beneath the leather of the jacket, he wrapped his fingers around her hip and pull her closer before tugging on the jacket with his other hand. "I believe it is you who has stolen my belongings." Plucking the elastic band from her fingers, he rolled it down onto his wrist. "You left this on Illium; claiming abandoned property is hardly theft."

She smiled, her gaze softening as she lifted her arms to dangle over his shoulders. "Mmm. Keep it, I have others."

He grinned, having had no intention of returning his keepsake, and kissed her. "What would you like me to order?"

"Hmm. I don't know. Surprise me." She kissed him again before stepping back, making her way back to the couch as she eased his jacket off and held it out to him.

Accepting it from her, he pushed his arms back through the leather and opened his omni-tool, pulling up the menu for _The Rising Tide Cafe_. Jasmine sat back down, dragging the laptop forward and placed a call, a moment later Theodus face appeared on the screen, smiling when he saw her. Thane dipped his head to Theodus when the other drell caught sight of him, but then he turned his attention to ordering lunch.

"Why am I not surprised to see you two together again?" Theodus asked, his tone light and teasing. "What can I do for you, Jasmine?"

Thane stuck with things he'd seen her eat before, though the selections on Kahje were limited compared to either the Citadel or Illium, and placed the order. Closing his omni-tool, he moved to the couch, leaving what would be seen as an appropriate amount of space between himself and Jasmine. He wanted the choice to be hers on whether or not they confirmed Theodus' obvious suspicions. He'd thrown Drali at her already, and although she'd relaxed after a few moments, her unease didn't go unnoticed.

She rubbed her palms over her knees, her attention fully on the vid call. "I'm trying to find information on my former handler, something that might provide me with a lead I can follow, and I'm not finding much on my own."

Theodus leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers in front of him. "I take it this isn't … an approved investigation?"

"No." She took a deep breath, letting it out slow. "I'll tell you what I can, but you can't ask too many questions."

He seemed to contemplate this for a moment before nodding. "Very well."

"And you need to be careful," she said, scraping her teeth over her lip, "for your own sake as much as mine."

Theodus lifted a brow ridge, his lips quirking in a smile. "Interesting, indeed." He leaned forward again, hands poised over the keyboard. "What can you tell me?"

"His legal name is—was Leon Harding," she began, pulling up the list of notes she'd taken during her own research. "Birth-name Leon Solomon. His father: the diplomat Jasser Solomon. From what I've found, his mother's name was Anna Solomon—both parents are now deceased. They had one other child, a female named Astrid Solomon. She's still alive and lives on New Canton."

She stopped talking long enough to take a drink of _cinuela_ , setting the cup back down on the table before turning her attention back to her notes. "His father married once before to a woman named Jessica, her last name before the marriage was White. She kept his last name when they divorced, but I don't believe they had any children together. Leon's date of birth was January fifteenth of twenty-one fifty, born on Earth in the European Union. He joined the Alliance at eighteen, but uh," she said before pausing, pulling her hair back up, securing it with her elastic band, "his service record is sealed completely. Known aliases are Adam Stone, Staff Lieutenant Crane, Robert Wells, Elijah Tucker, Major Greg Lance, and Daniel Lee."

She turned to Thane. "Am I forgetting anything?"

Clearing his throat, he shifted on the couch leaning a little closer to the laptop and to her. "Jasser Solomon was shot in a failed assassination attempt, it is believed, in retaliation for his efforts to obtain financial and legal support for colonists suffering under the terms of a contract made with RetCorp, he later died from complications associated with the sustained injury. This movement against Jasser is what lead Leon to retaliate against those believed to be responsible at RetCorp." Much of it they'd already discussed in lesser detail when Jasmine hired Theodus to gather evidence to take to the Alliance. Still, Thane thought the new pieces of information, as well as the reminder, might aid Theodus in his search.

Theodus' fingers moved furiously over the keys in front of him, recording everything they'd said so far. After a moment, he stopped typing and glanced back up at Jasmine, his gaze drifting back and forth between her and Thane. "May I ask what it is you're hoping I'll find?"

She blew out a heavy breath, her cheeks puffing out with the force. "He left a confessional vid, taking responsibility for everything that happened on Illium. They only allowed me to see a part of the vid, but something he said just before they turned it off implied he knew something … something that if _I_ learned about, would make me question my loyalties. I'm hoping to find out what exactly this thing is, but I don't expect you to uncover anything so specific. Just maybe something that can steer me in the right direction."

"Was this vid sent to someone?" His hands moved back to the keyboard, poised and ready. "I might be able to trace it."

"Not to my knowledge. His omni-tool was keyed to his vitals—his specific biometrics—when he died, it would've shut down and required a code input from his superiors to access anything on it. As far as I know, that's when they discovered the vid." She cleared her throat and lifted a shoulder. "I imagine he would've sent it to his superiors after he finished everything he intended to do on Illium, if he'd lived."

"Who shared the vid with you?" Theodus raised a brow ridge. "Perhaps I can access their accounts."

"I can't tell you," she said, shaking her head, "and I think it'd be really unwise for you to try."

He sucked in a deep breath and smiled. "Alright, I'll see what I can find."

"Thanks." Her shoulders relaxed, and she glanced at Thane before turning her attention back to the screen. "Send me your bill and call me when you have something. If I don't answer your call, and I don't call you back within a day, give Thane whatever you have. I should be reachable for a couple more weeks at least, though."

Theodus' brow ridges both shot up, his eyes widening, gaze shifting to Thane. "You allow her to use your first name? I don't even get to use your first name."

Smirking, she glanced at Thane and winked before turning back to the screen to shrug. "Maybe he just thinks I'm prettier than you."

Thane chuckled, smiling at her but directing his answer to Theodus. "Indeed, I do, and you've never asked. If it helps, however, she didn't allow me to call her 'Jasmine' when we first met, but it's how she introduced herself to you."

Theodus grinned, leaning a little closer to the camera. "Maybe she just thinks I'm prettier than you."

Tilting her head back, she laughed, her entire body shaking with her mirth. He loved those moments. Once finding her ability to so fully enjoy herself enviable, now having had the opportunity to share in such moments with her, the sound of her laughter allowed him to take his first deep, painless breaths since Irikah died. Soaking in the sight of her, hair swaying back and forth along her shoulder blades, he fought back the urge to touch her, just to remind himself she was real and _his_.


	32. Questions and Answers

**Questions and Answers**

Jasmine opened her omni-tool and accepted the incoming call, smirking when Theodus' face popped up on her screen. "Hey, pretty."

He chuckled, turning back and forth in his chair. "Careful, now, Jasmine. I might start to think Krios isn't enough to hold your attention."

She snorted, cocking an eyebrow. "You have something for me?"

"You're not denying it?" He leaned forward, his forearms pressing into the table. "You and Krios are a thing?"

 _Totally a thing._

"Why are you so interested in my personal life?" She turned, resting her back on the arm of the couch and throwing her legs up on the cushions. "I'm pretty sure Thane doesn't answer questions about his personal life when he hires you."

 _And I'm damn sure I'm not going to answer any personal questions about him, either. If he wants you to know something about him—about us—he'll tell you himself._

"No." He tilted his head to the side as if mulling over her words. "He doesn't answer much of anything. Everything I know about him I've learned on my own … and if it were possible, I'd do my best to forget it all." His lips twitched in a smile. "I suppose I shouldn't be too eager to learn much about you, either."

She chuckled, smile lingering. "Probably not. So, what'd you find?"

"I'll send you a full report, but the most interesting—well," Theodus said, waving a snow-white hand, "I think it's interesting—isn't about Leon, but about his father."

"The suspense is killing me," Jasmine said, deadpan.

A sly smirk lifted the corner of his mouth and he laughed. "Oh, you are so much more fun. Okay, Jasser Solomon was a busy man. Really interested in making the galaxy a better place for humankind." The drell leaned back in his chair again, hands steepled, forefingers tapping against each other. "Challenged a lot of powerful people and organizations, RetCorp by no means the worst."

A chill swept over Jasmine, like a winter wind, crawling inside of her and taking root bone-deep. "Are you saying … there's a chance RetCorp isn't responsible for the hit on Jasser?"

He folded his hands on the table in front of him. "Indeed, I am."

 _Jesus fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Shit. Fuck._

Jasmine's stomach rolled, and for one terrifying moment, she thought Theodus might get to witness her emptying her stomach all over the hotel's furniture. She knew he probably saw it written all over her face, but at the moment, she just didn't give a damn. All those people dead. She straightened, turning to sit right on the couch, her feet planted solidly on the floor, grounding her. It was bad enough so many died, even worse when she learned it wasn't a sanctioned job … but to think she might've taken part in a massacre when the victims weren't even responsible for the attack on Leon's father ….

She pinched the bridge of her nose before massaging her forehead. "Just—just send me the report. I'm sorry, I have to go. Thanks, Theodus."

He nodded, blessedly refraining from asking the million questions she saw in his blood-red eyes. She needed to get out of the hotel. The walls closed in on her, sucking the air right out of her lungs. Closing her omni-tool, she scrambled off the couch and crossed the room to grab her shoes, sitting down next to the door to slip them on.

Thane stayed the night at the rehab center—he thought if he continued to spend all of his time away, he might lose his room, so he started spending the nights there when he had treatments the next morning. He wanted her to sleep there with him, but she thought spending a little time apart was a good thing for any relationship. Where the hell did she get that idea? It wasn't like they wouldn't end up going long stretches apart after her vacation ended. Just then, all she wanted was him.

* * *

Thane spent the afternoon with his son and Rone. They'd surprised him, showing up at the rehabilitation center as he neared the end of his treatment. Kolyat learned how to cook a new dish at his friend's house, and he wanted to make lunch for his father. So, they went to the markets together to shop for the ingredients. Thane needed to restock the cabinets and refrigeration unit in his room, anyway.

As they each carried bags laden with groceries back to his room, Thane found himself wishing he could prolong his treatments and Jasmine's vacation. Spending time on Kahje with both Kolyat and Jasmine so near by—being able to see them both in a single day—a part of him didn't want it to ever end. Oh, he knew he'd grow restless eventually, and inevitably he'd need to return to work—of course Jasmine had her own responsibilities to tend to—but at the moment, life seemed very nearly perfect. It wouldn't be safe, though. It'd never be safe.

 _Even now, my presence on Kahje threatens Kolyat, and I must never allow myself to forget this simple truth._

He unlocked the door and hit the door's release just as one of the bags Kolyat carried clutched to his chest slipped, turning sideways before falling to the ground. Thane bent down to pick up the bag and its contents, setting his own bags down next to him. Rone helped him, scooping up runaway fruit and vegetables.

"Father," Kolyat said, the alarm in his voice bringing biotic flames to lick at Thane's fingers, "there is an alien in your room."

Thane turned his head just as Rone gasped.

 _Jasmine!_

Thane's heart slammed against his chest as he straightened. His siha stood in the middle of his studio room, her eyes wide with shock. She wasn't meant to be there, they'd agreed to meet in the evening—she said it was good for them to spend some time apart; claiming 'absence makes the heart grow fonder or something like that.' The first night apart, he'd feared it meant she'd grown tired of him, but when he saw her the next day, the way she'd rushed into his arms, her mouth crushing his, it chased away his doubts.

He gently cleared his throat, letting his gaze shift to his son. Kolyat's eyes held curiosity, but also a touch of fear as he looked up, glancing between Thane and his uncle. Rone laid his arm over Kolyat's shoulder and chest, pulling the boy back toward him.

Thane glanced at Rone, fear definitely winning over in the other drell's eyes. He rested a reassuring hand on his brother's shoulder before turning his gaze back to his son. "She is a human, Kolyat … and she is very dear to me."

"I know what she is, Father." Kolyat turned his head, the movement slow and strained, as if he needed to forcibly drag his gaze away from the woman standing in the middle of the room. "I have seen pictures of humans, but what is she doing here?"

"Kolyat." Rone slid his hand up to rest on his nephew's shoulder, glancing between Thane and Jasmine. "Do not be rude, your father has said she is a friend of his."

Her fingers twitched toward her wrist, making him think she might activate her tactical cloak and flee, but instead she rubbed her arm. "I, uh …." She glanced around the room, gaze starting to drift toward the vent above her before snapping back to Thane. Pursing her lips, she took a breath and held out an empty, placating hand. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize … I can come back later." Her gaze lingered for a moment on the three of them, blocking the only socially acceptable exit, and she scraped her teeth over her lip before forcing her face into a placid mask.

"No!" The urgency in his own voice startled Thane, and if Rone's sudden jerk, as well as Kolyat's head whipping around were any indication, he'd startled them, too. He composed himself, reining in his racing thoughts. He wanted them to meet. Perhaps it wasn't quite the way he'd imagined, but he did want Jasmine to know his son. They only had a couple of weeks remaining before she'd leave Kahje, and he might not have another chance after. "My apologies. Rone, Kolyat, will you give us a moment, please?"

Rone dipped his head. Despite his chastising words to Kolyat to be polite, he failed to be subtle himself, shielding Kolyat, staying between the boy and Jasmine as he moved into the room past Thane. "Come, Kolyat, we will put the groceries away for your father."

Kolyat allowed his uncle to lead him, bags in hand, but not without complaint. "Uncle, I want to meet the alien."

"Hush, Kolyat." Rone's chiding, exasperated tone brought a chuckle from Thane.

The open layout of the small dwelling didn't give them much in the way of privacy, but with the others in the kitchen area, at least he might have a few quiet words with her. He didn't waste any time crossing the floor to stand in front of her, hands behind his back, braced more than resting, when he caught her scent—familiar hints of grapefruit and papaya mixed with the underlying tones of _her_. Oh how he wanted to touch her, pull her against his chest and breathe her in, taste her mouth, and tangle her hair in his fingers. It hadn't even been an entire day since last he saw her, but he'd missed her, and he knew a time would come when he'd long to see her, but she'd be so far beyond his reach he'd have nothing but memories to keep him company.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, shoving her hands in her shorts' pockets when he drew near. "I'm such an idiot, I should've known you might not be alone." Something in her voice and the downcast of her eyes tore at him; she seemed deeply upset and fighting to conceal her emotions. At first, he assumed her antsy demeanor a product of the surprise from his arrival with Kolyat and Rone, but standing next to her, he almost tasted the sharp tang of tension rolling off of her. Something happened in his absence, he felt certain.

Keeping his voice low and leaning a little closer, he asked with forced calm, "Siha, what's wrong?"

She smiled, but it rang hollow. "Nothing that can't wait." Shrugging, she took a deep breath. "Come see me later, we'll talk about it then. I'll get out of here and let you enjoy your time with your family."

"Stay," he said, not wanting her to go, especially when something clearly bothered her. "Have lunch with us." He smiled as her eyes widened. "Please, siha, don't leave. I want you to meet my son." He never imagined he'd speak those words to anyone, ever again, but saying them to her felt so natural. The moment they left his mouth, a true calm settled over him, bringing with it a sense of rightness. He loved her, and he trusted her—completely.

Her eyebrows crawled up her face, her lips forcing themselves into a silent 'oh'. She studied him for a moment before shifting her gaze toward the kitchen and then back again. "That, uh, that sounds potentially disastrous. I mean, Drali is one thing, but this …."

Glancing over his shoulder to where Kolyat watched the two of them, he smiled at his son before turning back to Jasmine. "I … don't think he's ready to hear I've fallen in love again … but surely I'm allowed to have a friend?"

The corner of her mouth turned up, the familiar glint in her eyes telling him whatever worries brought here there had been pushed aside for the time being, mischief taking its place. "Am I being demoted already?" She scraped her teeth over her lower lip. "Damn, I had so many new things I still wanted to explore with you."

Heat rushed to his frills and he coughed, clearing his throat, drawing a pleased hum from her. "No, siha, I assure you, you've most certainly _not_ been demoted."

* * *

Jasmine glanced up at him when he put his hand on the small of her back, guiding her over to the kitchen area; thoughts of Jasser Solomon a million light years away.

 _Look at him, he looks so happy. I'm sure this won't be_ too _awkward._

She plastered a smile on her face and turned her gaze to Rone and Kolyat when Thane cleared his throat, drawing their attention to her. The man eyed her, wariness pouring off of him in thick waves, before offering her a cautious smile and resting his hand on his nephew's shoulder. Kolyat looked at her, his blue eyes catching the light and showing her unabashed awe—probably much the same way she looked at the first alien she'd ever met, an asari named Julna. She didn't know, of course, but she thought with the way Kolyat responded to her that she was the first, and if not the first, one of very few aliens he'd ever encountered outside of the hanar. The kid was tall—taller than Mouse even though they were about the same age—and she thought given another few months, she'd probably have to look up to meet his gaze. Still, he possessed a look that said he remained very much a child, despite what he'd been through. Mouse didn't really have much of the same … softness, innocence left to him. She wondered if she did at their age.

"Rone, Kolyat, I'd like you to meet Jasmine. She's a dear friend of mine and has helped me through some very difficult times." His hand vanished from her back as he turned a little, looking at her when he spoke again. "Without her, I fear I wouldn't have the courage to be here today."

 _Yep, not awkward at all. Christ, Thane, don't put me on a pedestal._

Jasmine snorted softly and shook her head. "He's giving me too much credit. It's nice to meet you both." She held her hand out to Rone, but he only stared at it in confusion.

Thane chuckled. "My apologies, most drell aren't accustomed to shaking hands."

"Oh." She dropped her hand to her side, absently rubbing her thigh instead. "Right, of course. I actually knew that but … human habit, I suppose. Sorry."

 _Not at all awkward. Christ, what is wrong with me? Put me in a room full of people and tell me to work the crowd, I'm fine. Point me at someone and tell me to flirt my way into their apartment so I can shoot them in the head, I'm fine. Introduce me to my boyfriend's kid and I'm a rambling idiot. Maybe I can just tell him I don't feel well and leave._

"No, I am afraid it is I who should apologize." Rone dipped his head at her. "I am not as educated in the customs of other species as I should be, please, allow me to learn." He extended his hand to her.

She smiled, taking his hand in hers and giving it three, brief shakes before letting him go again. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Rone."

"As it is to meet you, Jasmine." He returned her smile, dipping his head again.

Kolyat squared his shoulders and held his hand out to her. "Hello, Jasmine. I am pleased to make your acquaintance."

 _Well, aren't you proper?_

Her eyebrow twitched, the corners of her mouth lifting with amusement. "It's good to meet you, too, Kolyat." She took his hand and smiled when he mimicked her actions from a moment before, precise fingers closing around her hand before shaking her hand with careful, measured movements three times and letting go.

Thane hummed, radiating with pride and joy. "I've invited Jasmine to join us for lunch."

"If it's okay with the two of you?" The words rushed from her, wanting to make it clear the choice belonged to them, even as a part of her hoped they'd send her away.

Rone blinked a couple of times, and glanced down at Kolyat, but then nodded. "Of course, please join us."

"Thank you." She smiled, and then when the moment of silence began to stretch into awkwardness, she turned to Thane and asked, "So, is there anything I can help with?"

"I am cooking for us," Kolyat said, drawing her attention back to him. "You may help me if you wish."

"Oh." Jasmine's eyebrows twitched, but she covered her surprise with another bright smile, flashing her teeth at the boy. "I'd love to. What do you want me to do?"

* * *

Thane and Rone retreated to the table, having been chased away by an excited Kolyat. Thane didn't bother trying to hide his delight, his smile becoming a permanent fixture on his face; Kolyat took to Jasmine so easily, just as the drala'fa did. She had a way with children, and they brought out something wonderful in her, too.

"I would be interested to learn how you know this human, Brother." Rone spoke in hushed tones, his gaze barely straying from watching Jasmine's every move to glance at Thane.

Thane's smile faltered, understanding the cautious tone in his brother's voice all too well. "I trust her, Rone. You needn't worry. He's in safe hands with Jasmine, I assure you." Propping his elbows on the table when Rone's gaze shifted back to the woman and the child, busy chopping vegetables, he clasped his hands together and watched them, too. "I met her nearly a year ago on the Citadel while working. We spent time together, came to know one another … to care for one another." He continued to watch the two most important people in his life, smile growing once more as something Kolyat said made Jasmine laugh, the child looking up at her in wide-eyed wonder. Thane felt Rone's gaze return to him, heavy and scrutinizing. "I was ready to die before I met her … she saved my life in many ways."

Rone took a breath, a precursor to speech, but then hesitated. After a moment, his words finally came, sounding concise, carefully constructed. "I think there is much you are not saying."

"Indeed." Tapping his knuckles against his lips, he debated what to tell Rone, fearing Jasmine's 'potentially disastrous' outcomes brewed on the horizon like an oncoming storm.

They both fell silent for awhile, watching Kolyat and Jasmine cook. With his last, simple statement, Rone asked so much in so few words. His unspoken questions—their relationship—begged honesty and full disclosure, but how much should Thane really tell him? What could he really say, especially with Kolyat and Jasmine so close, easily within hearing range should either Thane or Rone forget for even a moment to keep their voices low and their words veiled? Surely, no one expected for him to tell Rone—Irikah's most trusted, conservative confidant and the man raising his son—that Jasmine was also an assassin, and not only had he fallen in love with her, but taken her into his bed many times … hoped to do so many times more. That he desired—even though he didn't dare tell her yet—to spend the rest of his life with her.

"She appears comfortable around children," Rone said, his voice speculative, lacking any indication of offense from Thane's continued silence.

"Indeed." Thane sighed, shoulders relaxing, thankful Rone decided to give him a moment of reprieve. "There is a young boy—a drala'fa—I knew on the Citadel whom she helped find a home with people she knows on Earth. They adopted him. I watched her interact with him on several occasions, it's quite clear she came to care about him deeply, as he did for her. It pains her that she is unable to do the same for all the other homeless children on the Citadel."

Rone hummed his approval, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "She must have a kind heart."

Thane chuckled, 'a kind heart', though accurate, seemed inadequate in describing Jasmine, but perhaps he was biased. "Most certainly."

"There are not many reasons for aliens to come to Kahje; most business is conducted offworld." And with that, Rone declared the expiration of Thane's reprieve; time for him to provide answers.

"She is here for me." Thane spared a glance at his brother. "She knew I came here for treatments. She will be leaving in a couple of weeks. I … I wasn't sure if it'd be wise to introduce her to my family, but it seems the decision wasn't mine to make. She met Drali a few days ago, he saw us dining together and joined us for breakfast, and I didn't anticipate she'd be here today."

"I see." Rone didn't sound at all certain of the information Thane gave him. "Drali did not mention meeting her."

Thane glanced at Rone once more before locking his gaze on Jasmine, taking in a slow, deep breath to steel his nerves. "I believe he meant to give me time to figure out how to approach the subject with you myself." He hesitated again, the words right there on the tip of his tongue. "Jasmine is—we are … more than friends."

The silence stretched for long minutes, but Thane didn't dare to look at Rone's face, afraid to see betrayal or disgust in his brother's eyes. Perhaps Drali had been wrong, perhaps Rone wouldn't be willing to accept the news. He took a steadying breath and then, barely above a whisper, he said, "I love her. I didn't think I'd ever love another after Irikah died, but Jasmine has taken my tattered soul and pieced it back together again. I hope you can understand."

"I understand, Thane. I do not begrudge you for finding love again." Rone tilted his head to the side when Thane turned to look at him, lowering his gaze. "I only wonder if she understands who it is that loves her."

 _Ah. Of course._

"She knows what I do for a living, understands the risks." Thane turned his attention back to the two in the kitchen—Kolyat now instructing Jasmine on how to crack the shells of the _ka'tira_ to scoop out the tender meat inside. "She knows what happened to Irikah, and why I left Kolyat in your care."

"Will you tell him?" Rone asked, the weight of the conversation leading him away from etiquette.

Thane dipped his head. "I'd like to … in time."

"I think it is good you have chosen to wait." The relief in Rone's voice, so light and airy, filled the space between them. "Allow him the chance to fully adjust to having his father return to his life."

"Indeed." Thane understood it might be difficult for Kolyat to accept if he knew the truth of his father's 'friend', but it wasn't something Thane intended to keep from him forever. It'd be unfair to both Kolyat and Jasmine.

Her voice trailed over while they watched her work on a _ka'tira_. "I think one of these tried to pinch my toes on the beach."

The carapace, slick with water from being boiled, slipped beneath the pressure of the tool she used to crack the shell, nearly shooting off the platter, if not for her quick reflexes. Thane chuckled, and she looked over her shoulder at him, grinning before turning her attention back to Kolyat and the _ka'tira_.

"Are your toes unwebbed like your fingers?" Kolyat asked loud enough for Thane to hear, Rone must've heard him as well, but he let the indiscretion slide, giving Kolyat the illusion of privacy the two and a half meters of space afforded him, allowing him to have his moment of care-free curiosity.

She took the question in stride, simply nodding her head. "They sure are."

"You said you met her while working, and she knows what you do …" Rone paused, as if fitting the pieces of a puzzle together inside his head. "I wonder what it is she does for a living that your paths would cross."

Thane lowered his gaze to the table in front of him, shaking his head. "It is not for me to say, my apologies."

"I do not believe I need you to." Rone sighed, something both regretful and unsurprised in the sound. "I hope you are not mistaken for putting your trust in her."

"It is not a thing I did lightly, I assure you. She has _earned_ my trust, and she has given me hers, as well as her heart." Thane met Rone's gaze, willing the other man to not look away. "She's a siha— _my siha_ —and I believe she'd die herself before allowing harm to come to any child."

"I see." Rone nodded, the movement decisive and final. "I am happy for you, Brother."

* * *

"Did you know my mother, as well?" Kolyat asked Jasmine, looking up at her from his plate.

"Kolyat." Rone used the same tone all parents, universally, seemed to know and use with their children to tell them they were behaving scandalously.

She fought back a smile as the boy mumbled an apology and turned his gaze to his plate. Drell culture—at least those who lived on Kahje—might view asking questions as rude, but there didn't seem to be anything disgraceful about choosing to answer them. She considered it to be a valid question, one she'd expect from a curious boy. "No, I didn't know your mother. I've only known your father for a little while."

"Thane has told me you have recently made the acquaintance of my brother," Rone said, drawing Jasmine's attention and holding her gaze for a heartbeat before glancing away again.

"I did, yes." She smiled and picked up her glass of _hannalene_ juice. "Drali is quite charming."

Thane chuckled. "That he is."

"Aunt Aleha said Uncle Drali is a child in a man's body." Kolyat kept his gaze on her, as he had most of the time she'd been there, studying her every movement, analyzing her every word.

Jasmine laughed, a short snort of mirth before she reined herself in. Rone choked on mashed _naka_ , taking a sip of his _hannalene_ juice to clear his throat. He covered his mouth with his napkin, but not before Jasmine caught the faintest hint of a suppressed smile. Kolyat grinned at her, seeming proud of himself for eliciting such a reaction. She winked at him before turning her attention to Thane. He smiled at her, his love for her written so clearly on his face for just a second before shifting to amusement as he glanced at his son.

"Yes, well," Rone said, having collected himself, "it was impolite of Aleha to say so, and perhaps it is not something we should repeat to others, Kolyat."

"Yes, Uncle." Kolyat schooled his smile. "My apologies."

Thane gestured at his son, a prideful smile spreading across his face. "Kolyat has decided to follow in his mother's footsteps, he wishes to be a medical researcher."

"That's a noble profession." Jasmine nodded, letting her eyebrows raise. At thirteen, all she wanted was to be eighteen so she didn't have to worry about the police finding her and taking her to another shitty orphanage. "I'm sure you'll help a lot of people. Is there something specific you want to learn about?" At least no one scolded her for asking questions.

"I want to find a cure for Kepral's Syndrome." Determination hardened his words as Kolyat's gaze strayed toward his father and back again.

Jasmine smiled, heart warming a little more toward the boy. "Wonderful! You'll have to work very hard in school."

His shoulders slumped a little and he glanced down at his plate. "My marks have not been adequate for secondary, but I am trying to improve."

Smile fading at the sudden lack of confidence in the boy's tone, her lips pursed as she struggled to find the right thing to say. "On Earth, children your age still have several years of school left ahead of them before they go on to university. I don't know if it's the same on Kahje, but …."

"Children attend primary until the age of sixteen. If they are so inclined, and their marks are adequate, they may attend secondary and from there, choose a speciality," Rone offered, studying her with curious scrutiny. "The last two years of primary are the most influential."

Glancing between him and Kolyat, Jasmine's eyebrows arched in question. "It sounds like you still have time enough to get your marks where they need to be." She glanced back at Rone, and he dipped his head to her in confirmation, offering her a soft smile. "So," she said, turning her attention back to Kolyat, "I see no reason why you can't, you seem plenty smart enough, and you have a supportive family to help you get there."

"Thank you, Jasmine," Kolyat said, but it carried the monotone of habit and not gratitude. "It is kind of you to say."

She frowned, choosing her words carefully. "Well, I didn't say it to be kind. I said it because I think it's the truth, Kolyat."

* * *

Thane left Jasmine sitting at the table, sipping _cinuela_ , while he walked Rone and Kolyat to the door. It pleased him, more than he had words to express, to see his son enjoyed her company enough to request she join them again the next time Thane and Kolyat visited. Jasmine seemed more than happy with the prospect, though she swiftly amended her agreement, suggesting it should be cleared with Rone and Thane, first. Rone agreed after only a moment's hesitation, and of course, nothing made Thane happier.

Kolyat glanced back over his shoulder, and Thane followed his gaze to where Jasmine sat. She smiled warmly at the boy and waved goodbye. He grinned, bowing to her before following his uncle out of the door.

Thane put his hand on Kolyat's shoulder, bending to kiss his forehead. "Thank you, my son. The meal you prepared was quite delicious. I look forward to seeing you again, after school, in two days."

Kolyat's brow ridges drew in and down. "I want to see you tomorrow, Father."

"Your uncle has said you have promised your friend, Quinlo, you'd spend time with him after school tomorrow." Thane squeezed his shoulder before letting go, the disappointment in Kolyat's face making his chest ache. "It's important you not neglect your education or your friends while I am here, Kolyat."

Sighing, Kolyat's lips twitched toward a frown but he nodded. "Yes, Father."

Thane turned his attention to Rone, reaching out to squeeze his shoulder as well. "Thank you, Brother."

Rone dipped his head before sliding his arm around Kolyat. "Good evening, Brother." He glanced down at his nephew. "Come, Kolyat, your aunt is waiting for us."

Thane watched them walk away until they disappeared around a corner, then he closed and locked the door. Tucking his hands behind his back, he turned and watched Jasmine for a moment. She held his gaze, a soft smile on her lips as she brought her steaming cup to her mouth. He smiled, his heart so filled with love, he doubted there was any way someone such as himself ever truly deserved what the gods saw fit to give him.

Taking his time, he crossed the floor to stand in front of her, gaze never leaving hers. She sat the cup down on the table, reaching out for his hand. He took her fingers in his and tugged, urging her to her feet. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he kissed her, lips brushing softly over hers.

Cupping her face, he rested his forehead against hers and whispered, "You are the most wonderful gift I could've ever hoped for, and so much more. I love you, Jasmine, my beautiful siha." He kissed her again before she opened her mouth to respond, trailing his tongue over her lips, twining with hers when she opened her mouth to him. He hummed, feeling the very blood in his veins heat at her touch. Breaking the kiss, he met her gaze. "I want to make love to you," he said, slipping a hand beneath her shirt to skate his fingertips over her bare skin, taking pleasure in the trail of bumps he left in his wake, "but first … I want you to tell me what brought you here today. What upset you, siha?"

She took a deep breath and let it out in a rush, her shoulders slumping. "Theodus called." Pausing, lips parted without speech, she tilted her head to the side, gaze drifting away from his.

"Oh?" he said, hoping to encourage her to go on.

"It seems like there's a chance whoever sent an assassin after Leon's father may not have been involved with RetCorp." She licked her lips and swallowed, her haunted gaze returning to his. "Apparently, Jasser had many powerful enemies."

If he knew anything about Jasmine, and he liked to think he did, the possibility troubled her because in her mind it made the attack Leon orchestrated against the RetCorp targets even more reprehensible than learning the contracts were unsanctioned. Frowning, he traced the curve of her jaw. "This isn't a certainty?"

"No. Not yet, at least. He's compiling his reports. I asked him to find me leads—I don't know if this will get me any closer to uncovering the scandal Leon mentioned, but I intend to find out if this is true either way." She closed her eyes, her muscles beneath his fingers tightening with restrained tension. "I owe it to him to find out the truth about his father's death. It's stupid, I know, to think I owe that asshole anything … but I just do."

"It's not stupid … I admit it saddens me to know you feel beholden to someone who's caused you so much pain and grief, but it's not stupid." He brushed his thumb over her jaw again, encouraging her to open her eyes and meet his gaze. "You have a history with him, he was your lover, once, and your handler. Both relationships engender a deep trust and loyalty, even after the trust has been broken and the relationships ended." He kissed her forehead. "However I am capable, I will help you. We _will_ find out the truth, both about Leon's father and whatever else he had to say with his confession."

She leaned into him, tucking her head beneath his chin. "Thank you."

"Of course," he said, wrapping his arms around her ribs, rubbing his hand over her back, feeling her relax beneath his touch.

A moment later, she pulled back and met his gaze with a smile. "Kolyat is a great kid."

Thane grinned, a light, joyful chuckle escaping him. "Indeed, he is, and I think he's quite taken with you."

She smirked and lifted a shoulder. "He just thinks it's cool I'm an alien."


	33. Domestic

**Domestic**

Thane nuzzled against her neck, planting kisses along her jaw and just below her ear, savoring the silken feel of her skin against his scales and the smell of their mingled scents. An idea taking root, he lifted his head and grinned at her. "Turn your translator off."

"What?" Jasmine laughed, arching an eyebrow, eyes narrowed. "Why?"

"Because." He leaned down to kiss her, nipping at her lip and pulling a half-moan half-gasp from her. "You like my voice; I want you to hear me—unfiltered by the translator."

Her brow furrowed, but her smile remained. "I won't know what you're saying."

"You will." He sat up, opening his own omni-tool. "I'll turn mine off, too."

Narrowing her eyes, she pursed her lips, making him want to forego the suggestion in favor of tracing every line and curve of her pout with his tongue instead. "You speak Earth English?"

"I do," he said, dipping his head, turning off his translator and closing the screen.

"Of course you do." She rolled her eyes and huffed, lifting her arm to open her omni-tool. "Hell, you probably speak it better than I do."

"Indeed." He flashed a playful grin at her, watching her face through the orange glow of her omni-tool.

She snorted, slapping his shoulder before closing her omni-tool. Looking a little skeptical and unusually shy, she licked her lips. "Alright, it's off."

A slow smile spread across his face, and he reached out, brushing stray strands of hair away from her eyes. "You are more beautiful each time I look at you."

Her face lit up with fascination, the spark of desire dancing in the edges of her eyes, waiting for him to feed it more kindling and stoke it into roaring flames. "A man of many talents. But now I'm torn." She smiled, trapping her lower lip between her teeth.

He loved seeing that look in her eyes, it filled him with awe and humbled him, every time leaving him wondering how exactly she'd managed to capture him so completely—how he'd managed to do the same to her. He didn't think he'd ever grow tired of seeing the evidence of her desire for him in her eyes and the flush of her skin, inhaling her shifting scents as her body responded to his touch. He truly meant it when he said her beauty continued to grow every time he looked at her.

"Why is that, siha?" He tugged at her lip until she released it, not because he disapproved of the action, quite the opposite in fact. It only made it impossible for him to not want to touch the reddened, delicate flesh when her teeth brought his attention to her mouth once more. He stroked his thumb over her lip, entranced with the way it shifted at his slightest touch.

"Because, you can't talk and kiss me at the same time." She reached up, trailing her fingers along the frill of his jaw. "No one's _that_ talented."

Thane chuckled and stretched out on the bed next to her, elbow holding him up as he propped his head in his palm. Putting a finger beneath her chin, he tugged, encouraging her to tilt her head back a little. "I can try." He brought his mouth to hers, trapping her lower lip between his for a second before letting go. Brushing his lips over hers, he said, "I love you, Jasmine."

"I love you, too." The soft breath of her devotion swept over him, as gentle as a caress, yet stronger than gale force winds with the flurry of emotions it stirred inside of him—hope but also trepidation, love and a sense of belonging he'd never really felt before. She brought her hand back to his face, fingertips skirting the frills of his cheek and jaw as her tongue darted out, the very tip tasting his lips, moist and enticing.

He opened his mouth to her, and she lifted her head from the pillow, claiming his lips completely. Sliding his hand through her hair, he cradled the back of her head, tongue twining with hers. She moaned, a soft, throaty vibration he felt more than heard, and he closed his fist around the hair at the base of her skull. She rewarded him by pushing against his shoulder, urging him to his back, her weight pressing down against his chest as she slid a leg over his waist to straddle him. A moment later, she tore her mouth away from his, and he lifted his head, following her, trying to recapture her lips and tongue.

She grinned, brushing her lips across his, nipping at him. "Talk to me." Using her face to nudge his head to the side, she began trailing her tongue over the frills along his jaw and down his neck.

The heat of her, separated from him only by the thin fabric of his loose-fitting, cloth pants and her even thinner panties, and the feel of her mouth at his throat wrapped his mind in a thick fog, pulling a low moan from him and forcing him to fight against his base instincts in order to find the will to respond. Closing his eyes, he took a slow breath, willing his pulse to slow its rapid thrumming against the walls of his veins.

"I've been trying to pinpoint the exact moment my heart became yours. Not—" The words caught in his throat as her teeth scraped across his frills. He sucked in a ragged breath and continued, "Not when I realized I had feelings for you, but when they first started."

She hummed, wordlessly encouraging him to continue as she wriggled against him in the most interesting way, working her way down a little lower to tuck her head beneath his chin, tongue and teeth tasting his suprasternal notch. He chuckled at how difficult she made it for him to concentrate and threaded his fingers back through her hair, his other hand drifting down the side of her ribs before trailing over her waist to settle on her hip. She rocked against him, and his thoughts scattered from his mind, leaving only the desire to feel more of her. She nudged his chin with the top of her head, and he licked his lips, searching for his voice once more.

"I think … I think it started when you put yourself in harm's way to bargain for Rift's sake. I didn't admit it to myself then because—" He hesitated, changing his direction of thought. It really wasn't an appropriate time to tell her something she'd done reminded him of Irikah. He found it a little difficult to remember his thoughts from just a moment before—a rather peculiar experience for a drell—as her lips trailed over his shoulder, moving down to his chest. "I think the actual moment my heart belonged to you was when I tried to help you up after you'd been injured fighting my battle. You pushed me away and asked about the hanar."

She shifted, her back arching to reach a little lower, her tongue trailing over the curve of his pectoral before her teeth followed, hair sweeping over him as she moved. "Why then?" Her words muffled against his scales. Resting her weight on her palms, she moved one leg, using it to spread his thighs and pressed her knee into the bed between them.

"Your strength and determination, even when so wounded, your selflessness in the moment." He watched her, the ache for her growing inside of him as she eased her way down his body, kissing along the expanse of his stomach. "I suppose it impressed me … inspired me."

"Mmmm." She slipped her fingers into the waistband of his pants and tugged, working them down until he lifted his hips from the mattress to make it easier for her. "And when did you realize you had feelings for me?"

"I first started to realize I felt … something for you the night we met Ares." He licked his lips, his throat and mouth drying as she exposed him completely, tossing his pants aside. "I felt such intense concern while watching you drink so heavily. I feared for your safety in Ares' presence, and yet it brought me great pleasure to see you so relaxed and enjoying yourself. These things … couldn't be so easily explained away."

She ran her hands up his thighs, leaving a scorching trail of need in her wake. "And when did you put a name to those feelings?" Shifting, she knelt between his legs, fingers and gaze sweeping over him, as if exploring every newly exposed scale and curve for the first time.

When she looked up to meet his gaze, it was through hooded eyes, her pupils dilated just enough beyond mere arousal to tell him that his venom started to affect her. She seemed calm, though, and composed as she gestured at the bottle of supplements and half-empty glass of water, left on the nightstand from the evening before. Perhaps she'd begun building a tolerance. Thane handed her the bottle without comment, holding the glass until she reached for it.

Once she swallowed the pills, she repeated her question. "When did you put a name to those feelings?"

"Ah. The day you came to my apartment to ask for my help in removing a thread from ' _Assassins Unveiled'_. After I ended the call with Theodus, I felt disappointed I had so much time still before I'd see you again, and …." He trailed off, finding the words drifting away from his mind as she lowered her face to him, her tongue sweeping over the heat-sensitive pads of his groin where his scales began to shift, becoming smaller and smoother, spiking his want for her to nearly unbearable levels.

She stopped, glancing up at him and arched a brow. "And?"

He swallowed, trying to work up saliva. When he spoke, his voice crackled more than usual. "And I finally admitted to myself that I knew exactly what I felt for you, I'd felt it before. I told myself by denying it, I did a disservice to the both of us."

A slow smile lifted the corners of her lips, and she wrapped a hand around his girth, stealing his breath from him, making his heart stutter in his chest. Holding his gaze, she licked her lips before leaning in, her tongue leaving her mouth once more to make contact with him, trailing hot and wet from base to tip. He sucked in a sharp breath, and reached for her, the will to fight his instincts disappearing in a flood of desire. He wanted her, needed to be inside of her, but she stopped him with a hand flat on his stomach and pushed him back down.

"Keep talking," she said before taking him into her mouth.

Slick heat surrounded him, sliding up and down around him, muscles tightened as he fought the urge to thrust himself deeper into her mouth. Still, she understood what his body wanted, her hand tightening around the base of his shaft, head dipping lower, taking in as much of him as she could. "Oh, oh sweet Arashu." The second his words left him, he realized he'd slipped back to his native tongue. "Ah," he said, his mind scrambling to find the will to speak, and not only that, but in her language.

* * *

Jasmine left the bathroom, the dull ache in her inner thighs bringing a smile to her face. Thane remained on the bed, sprawled out and eyes closed, his breathing steady and shallow. She wasn't sure if he'd fallen back asleep or not, but she wasn't going to risk disturbing him either way, he looked so completely at peace. Picking up his shirt from the floor, she slid it on over her head and rolled up the sleeves before padding to his kitchen on bare feet.

Being as quiet as possible, she filled a pot with water and set it to boil. She'd watched him make _cinuela_ often enough she figured she'd manage on her own. She opened his refrigerator and pulled out the bowl holding brown and white speckled eggs, some of the fruit he'd called _hannalene_ , and a wedge of some sort of cheese—though she tried _really_ hard not to wonder where the hell they got milk for cheese on Kahje. Maybe it came imported. She hoped it was imported. She didn't recall seeing any mammals to speak of on her trek through the rainforest, and she doubted if there were, there'd be anything bigger than a nutria.

Settling four eggs into the bottom of another pot, she filled it with water and set it on another burner, turning the heat on beneath it before going in search of a cutting board and a knife. She set to work dicing fruit and slicing cheese, arranging it on plates and singing quietly to herself. When the water for the tea began to boil, she laid the knife down on the cutting board and opened a cabinet, measuring out the tea leaves as she'd seen him do a couple dozen times and added them to the water.

As she pushed up on the tips of her toes to take down the teapot, strong, yet gentle, arms wrapped around her waist, pulling a startled gasp from her. Thane's warm chuckle filled her ear, his face nuzzled against her neck.

She laughed at herself, leaning back against him as she set the teapot on the counter. "I thought I'd make us some breakfast, you know, since you actually keep food in your kitchen like a responsible adult."

He kissed the side of her neck and took a deep breath. "Do you need any help?"

She puckered her lips, shifting them to the side. "Mmm. You can finish cutting stuff over there."

Reminding her very much of a contented cat, he rubbed his frilled jaw and neck against her before his arms slipped away. "Very well."

She glanced over her shoulder at him, his back facing her as he picked up the knife and continued where she left off. She grinned, the word 'domestic' floating around in the back of her head. Turning her attention back to the stove, she killed the heat under the tea just as the water for the eggs started to boil.

* * *

She'd just finished her breakfast when her omni-tool pinged. Opening the holographic screen, she accepted the call from Theodus, both hopeful he might have something solid for her, but also dreading the dent in her mood. She'd been having such a nice morning. "Hey," she said, stealing a sip of her _cinuela_ —not quite as good as if Thane made it instead.

Theodus' lips moved, but she didn't understand a single thing coming out of his mouth, the sounds fluctuating between guttural and sussurant hissing; utterly foreign to her ears, if not for having just heard the same sounds from Thane.

She frowned, eyebrows twitching before she realized the problem. "Oh, shit. Give me just a second. I don't have my translator on."

He laughed, but dipped his head to her, waiting for her to reactivate her translator. Smiling at her when she returned her gaze to his, he asked, "Why would you turn off your translator?"

She shrugged, schooling her expression even though heat crept up her neck and spread out over her cheeks. "I had my reasons."

Thane hummed, drawing her attention, and flashed a satisfied grin at her from his side of the table, lifting his own cup to his mouth. She wondered what her heat signatures told him in that moment, and found herself insanely grateful Theodus wouldn't see anything more than a faint blush without being physically present. She turned her attention back to the drell on her screen and caught his scrutinizing gaze sweeping over her.

He raised a brow ridge. "That shirt is a man's shirt, of drell design, and it's several sizes too big for you. I don't believe that's your shirt you're wearing."

 _At least he didn't point out I'm not wearing a bra beneath._

"I don't believe I asked you for fashion advice." She smirked, taking another sip of her tea, her gaze flicking to Thane when he hummed again.

 _Hmmm. He likes me wearing his shirt._

Chuckling, Theodus leaned back in his chair, a knowing smile lingering on his face. "Fair enough. I found something, I think it might be the thing you're looking for."

Jasmine shifted forward, the smile slipping from her face, senses sharpening with the intensity of her focus on his blood-red gaze. "What'd you find?"

"A series of email correspondences between Leon and his father as well as some between Jassar and an Alliance admiral." His smile widened; the look of a man who knew he was damn good and worth every credit he charged. "I'm flagging them and putting them at the top of your report. You should receive it in a few minutes."

The adrenaline of excitement hit her system, making her jittery and antsy, ready to burst into action but lacking an actual target. "Thanks, Theodus. Maybe I should send you a bonus?" She grinned, flashing her teeth at him. "But then again, I wouldn't want to insult you."

"Maybe just answer a question for me instead?" He raised a brow ridge, his smile turning sly and predatory.

She almost heard the springs of the trap he'd set, about to snap closed around her. "That depends on the question."

His wolfish grin didn't hold as much of a bite as she'd feared. There weren't any pressing questions about the Alliance, or even Leon and his father. He didn't ask her anything more about RetCorp, or her time spent locked away because of the disaster. Instead, he simply asked, "Which one of you made the bed when you got up this morning?"

She laughed, the question surprising her more than it should, yet still relaxing the muscles along her spine in relief. Glancing at Thane, she caught the slight raise of his brow and the soft smile on his face, asking her if she intended to answer the man. She leaned forward, propping her chin up on the palm of her hand, her fingers curled against her cheek.

"Who says the bed's made?" she asked, giving her head a little shake and drawing in her eyebrows. When Theodus tilted his head to the side, as if he were trying to figure out if her response told him what he really wanted to know or not, Jasmine snorted and added, "He did."

Theodus beamed at her, sitting up straight, hands moving back to the keyboard in front of him. "I'm finishing your report now. Let me know if you need anything else."

She scoffed at his abrupt shift back to business, but gave him a light chuckle and a nod. "I will, thanks again."

"Anytime." He cut the call, leaving blackness staring back at her before it shifted to the main screen, and she closed the omni-tool.

Thane set down his cup and speared one of the few remaining pieces of fruit on his plate. "He sounded certain he'd found something of use." He pulled the fruit off his fork with his teeth, a thoughtful look tugging at his brow as he chewed.

"Let's hope he's right." She stood, carrying her plate to the sink, finding she needed to be moving while she waited for the report to come through. She intended to change into her own clothes, and then do the dishes once Thane finished his breakfast. On her way back by him, he snagged onto the hem of her shirt and used it to tug her back to him. She grinned down at him, wrapping her arm around the back of his neck when he turned in his chair and pulled her down to his lap.

Sliding a hand along her thigh, he worked his way up her leg, beneath the shirt, and over her hip. "It pleases me to see you wear this, it's … intimate and gratifying."

* * *

Jasmine slumped against the cushions, letting her head loll to rest on the back of the couch and closed her eyes. Pinching the bridge of her nose, she let out a heavy sigh. "Do you know anything about Cerberus?"

"Nothing more than what these messages tell you. I've heard the name in whispered conversations and backroom politics," Thane said, waving his hand when she glanced at him, "but nothing solid about who exactly they are or what they do, only that they're a secretive group interested in the advancement of humanity."

She turned her attention to the ceiling, her gaze creeping along the grooves of the ceiling panels as she sorted through the information in her mind, pulling it all apart, examining the details, and then piecing it back together again. The messages were vague, using veiled terms and ambiguous codenames. The only thing clear was Cerberus worked on some project Jasser seemed strongly opposed to, and Leon warned him someone called the Illusive Man was too dangerous of a person for Jasser to go up against. Jasser reached out to the Alliance, hoping to find backing against Cerberus, but they warned him away as well.

"Whoever or whatever they are, Leon warned his father to stay away from them, but that was over a year before Jasser got shot." Leaning forward, she propped her elbows on her knees, letting one hand dangle between her legs while the other rubbed at the tension in her temple and forehead.

"Yet the correspondences with Admiral Holstead continued for months after Jasser assured his son he wouldn't pursue his investigations into Cerberus." He kept his voice soft and distant, as if loathe to intrude upon her musings, just another whisper of her consciousness.

She let his observation linger in the air between them for a moment, mulling it over and letting his words play devil's advocate with her thoughts. "Cerberus might be responsible for Jasser's death … or the thing Leon hinted at, Admiral Holstead sure seemed intent on covering for them."

He made a sound as if about to speak but hesitated a moment. "Perhaps both."

Gaze snapping back to him, Jasmine sucked in a deep breath, letting it seep out of her like a deflating balloon. "Could be." With her nerves already on edge, her fingers twitched toward her pistol when the musical chime of the door buzzer rang through the air. She closed her omni-tool and glanced at Thane, lifting an eyebrow. "Expecting someone?"

He stood, smoothing down his jacket. "No, but I've had quite a few unexpected guests since arriving on Kahje." Walking over to the door, he stopped to activate the security feed, and Drali's face appeared on the screen. "Ah."

She smiled at the image of the drell and stood when Thane unlocked the door, ready to say hello and then excuse herself so she didn't intrude on family time. She'd done quite enough of that already. Besides, her brooding over the shit with Leon was probably taking a toll on Thane's spirits, even if he was far too polite to tell her so.

The door slid open, revealing Drali—wearing a very human button-down shirt beneath his leather jacket, left untucked, hanging loose over his leather pants—with his hands hidden away behind his back, and as soon as he saw her, his face lit up. "Jasmine! You're here, how wonderful."

Thane chuckled and gestured for him to enter. "Brother, this is a pleasant surprise."

Drali shrugged and stepped inside, removing one hand from his back to grasp Thane's shoulder in greeting. "I didn't have anything else to do today, and after listening to Kolyat talk for hours last night about the 'fascinating human' he'd met at his father's place … well, I thought I might come see how the two of you are getting along." He pulled his other hand out from behind his back, revealing a bouquet of fresh-picked, tropical flowers filled with vibrant blues, reds, yellows, purples, and oranges. "I brought something for Jasmine," he said, flashing a grin at her. "I recall human women like flowers."

She chuckled, making her way over to the two drell and leaned against Thane, draping one of her arms over his shoulder. She eyed the flowers, taking note of the jagged, torn stems and overabundance of leaves still attached. Drops of dew spread out over the petals, and she spotted the same occasional splash of water on Drali's jacket. "You braved the humidity to go outside and pick these yourself, didn't you?" She lifted an eyebrow, accepting the flowers from him.

He shrugged and waved a hand, brushing aside her concerns. "It isn't so bad today, and I wasn't out there long." Moving past them to the table, apparently completely confident he'd be welcomed to sit, he said, "There's no place to buy flowers in the city. As it is, I received countless odd looks carrying these around with me."

Jasmine laughed again and brought the flowers to her nose to inhale, trying to keep a straight face under his scrutiny when she found one of them carried a rather repugnant scent, smelling more like a corpse right on the verge of decay than anything floral. At least she couldn't detect the odor without her face shoved in the flowers. She cleared her throat and smiled. "They're beautiful, thank you."

Raising a brow ridge, a smirk lifted the corners of his mouth. "If I'd known you intended to sniff them, I'd have chosen more wisely."

Thane rested his hand on the small of her back, drawing her attention to him, and pointed at one of the darker flowers—deep reds shifting into a royal purple. "This one, called 'dwindling day', smells sweet when it first blooms, but as the petals change color, they begin to emit a foul odor. By the time they've changed completely … the smell is rather unpleasant." His finger moved, touching the petal of a yellow and orange flower. "I believe you'll find this one, 'Arashu's blessing', appealing. The leaves from this plant are one of those used to make _cinuela_."

She lowered her face to the flower, hesitantly breathing in the scent and smiled. "Nutmeg." Glancing up at Thane, who watched her with a level of intensity only he could muster, she added, "It smells a little like a spice humans call nutmeg."

"Indeed." He smiled, reaching for the bundle of flowers. "If you like, I can find something to put these in for you."

Letting him take the bouquet, she nodded. "Thank you."

She watched him as he took the flowers to the sink, setting them down on the counter before filling up a water glass from the faucet. When she glanced back at Drali, she found the man watching Thane with a soft smile on his face. His gaze shifted to her, and his smile widened as he gestured to one of the empty chairs at the table.

 _Guess I'll be staying._

"So, what did Kolyat have to say about the 'fascinating human?'" Jasmine asked, her curiosity getting the better of her as she sank down into the chair across from Drali.

"He said your hand felt very strange, and you told him your toes have no webbing just like your fingers." He leaned back in his chair, draping one long leg over the other. "He heard you say a 'bad word' while you were helping him cook, but he didn't want you to be embarrassed, so he pretended not to notice."

"What? No, I didn't—oh shit, yes I did." She covered her mouth and scrunched up her nose. "Sorry." She glanced at Thane, wondering if he'd be disappointed in her, but she saw the corners of his mouth lifted in a smirk as he worked to prune away some of the excess leaves on the flowers.

Drali tilted his head back and laughed. "I assure you, I've heard far worse, and he probably has, too. I wouldn't tell Rone that, however. He works hard to keep Kolyat on what he believes to be the proper path in life."

Her eyebrow arched. "You don't think it's the proper path?"

Looking over his shoulder at Thane, he hummed. "I think … children should be allowed to be children." He turned his attention back to Jasmine. "There is so much in this galaxy beyond Enkindler's Pass, but Rone allows his fear for Kolyat's safety to keep him from letting the boy even access the extranet to look up something sparking his interest without a chaperone." Drali's frills darkened a little, and he added, "If you are kind, you won't mention this to Rone, either. We've spoken about it a few times, but it'd displease him to know I shared my opinions with someone outside of the family."

"I believe that's reasonable for a boy his age," Thane said, joining the conversation from his place in the kitchen. "The extranet is filled with unsavory material and people who might take advantage of him." He tucked the last of the flowers into the glass of water and threw away the scraps. Picking up the makeshift vase, he carried it to the table, setting it down near Jasmine before taking a seat. "However … I believe Irikah would've wanted to encourage him to explore the world around him—the galaxy, even—within reason. To follow his heart and sate his curiosity."

"What do you think, Jasmine?" Drali raised a brow ridge.

"Ha!" She shook her head and leaned back in her chair. "Oh no, I'm not the person to ask about this kind of thing, and it's not my place to comment on Kolyat's upbringing."

"I, too, am curious to know what you think, siha." Thane folded his hands on top of the table and watched her.

She groaned and glanced up at the ceiling. "I don't know anything about taking care of kids, Thane."

He made a soft, dismissive sound deep in his throat. "You don't think you adequately cared for Rift?"

"Rift? You have a child, as well?" Drali's face took on an appraising cast as she met his gaze, his head cocked, lips slightly pursed.

"No." She shook her head. "Rift is a homeless kid I met on the Citadel; he didn't have any parents." Shrugging she folded her arms across her chest. "I helped him out a few times, fed him, bought him clothes … he grew on me. I helped him get adopted by a family I know back on Earth. I'm not raising him myself," she said, glancing at Thane, "there's a big difference."

 _A very big difference. And thank God I'm not raising him. Even if I wasn't an assassin, making it just as dangerous for a kid to be with me as it'd be for you, my understanding of what it means to be a good mother died the day my own mother took her life. Sure, I get the basics—you feed them, bathe them, clothe them, make sure they've got a roof over their heads … but everything else is just …._

Drali waved his hand, brushing aside the obvious differences in situations, as if it didn't excuse her from weighing in on the subject. "Then tell me, what would this family you know say on the matter?"

"Hmmm." Jasmine grinned, leaning forward to rest her elbows on the table and lace her fingers together under her chin; Geoffrey and Karin's words floating back to her from ancient times. "They'd probably say discipline is an important part of child-rearing, but so is trust and being given the room to make their own mistakes. Kids learn through trial and error as much as from observing those around them, if their parents don't let them mess up from time to time, they'll never learn from their mistakes, and then when they're adults, they won't know how to solve their own problems, either."

"You agree with this?" Thane asked, his tone free of judgement, holding only curiosity.

She pursed her lips and tilted her head to the side, considering it for a moment before shrugging. "Yeah, I guess so."

* * *

A moment of doubt swept through Thane, leaving his stomach churning with dread and his chest threatening to ache. He knew Jasmine was far more equipped to be a mother than she believed, and although her words often implied she held no desire to be a mother, he'd seen how much she'd grown to love Rift in the short time she knew him; how much it hurt her to tell him goodbye, even if she knew she'd remain a part of his life. What if she decided she did want to be a mother? It wasn't something Thane could ever give her, even if biology allowed for such cross-species breeding. Even adoption would never be an option for her if she tied herself to him. How could he ever bring himself to be responsible for another child—he wasn't even raising his own son? But neither did he want to be the cause of her denying herself that experience, if it became something she wanted.

"What else did Kolyat say?" She slid the glass of flowers over a little closer and started rearranging them—he thought more for the sake of having something to do with her idle hands than because of any disapproval of how he'd arranged them the first time.

She'd been so nervous about meeting Kolyat, it made him wonder if she feared his son didn't like her beyond, as she said, thinking her being an alien was 'cool'. Perhaps she just felt apprehensive about Kolyat eventually learning she and Thane were involved romantically.

 _Does she think I won't love her if Kolyat doesn't approve of her?_

Drali chuckled. "I can recount the entire conversation for you, if you like, but we'll be sitting here for quite some time, and I hoped to convince the two of you to go out with me. There's not much to do in Enkindler's Pass, but if you're at all interested, we do have a museum and a theater." He turned his attention to Thane. "Have you taken her to see any of the city's attractions?"

"Ah." Thane clasped his hands together. "I have not. I'm afraid I've been rather selfish with her time since she arrived on Kahje."

Jasmine snorted, and he saw mischief dancing in her rainforest colored eyes. Drali chuckled, and when Thane glanced at him, his face mirrored the same look as hers.

"Arashu save me," Thane said, pushing away from the table, "you're both impossible."


	34. Oceans and the Afterlife

**Oceans and the Afterlife**

Even though the tunnel didn't narrow as it carried them deeper and deeper underground, Jasmine almost felt the massive weight of the unfathomable tons of mountain looming over her head, pressing down on her, threatening to crush the life out of her. The soft, faint row of lights lining the ceiling did little to dampen the toxic threat of a panic attack creeping along her spine, making her muscles tight, leaving her with the desire to flee.

And therein laid the problem—the real problem—she couldn't flee just then. A dozen other people pressed in behind her and another dozen ahead of her, bodies huddled together wall to wall, blocking her escape. If not for the warmth of Thane's shoulder against hers, and the smile on Kolyat's face every time he looked at her, she'd really be crawling out of her skin and pushing her way back through the crowd, no matter how many guts she needed to ram her elbow into or toes she had to step on to get back out.

The air felt cooler and damper in the tunnels, getting worse the farther they went, taking them closer to the ocean. She narrowed her eyes at Thane, watching him for any sign of discomfort, but he only caught her gaze and smiled, pressing against her shoulder a little more. She grinned, his smile easing some of her tension, and leaned into him, returning his covert affectionate gesture.

Scanning the crowd before glancing over at Kolyat, she let out an exaggerated huff of a sigh. "I'm pretty sure we've been walking all day, how much further?"

The young drell cocked his brow ridge at her, looking every bit as if he were the adult and she a child in need of humoring. "We have not been walking all day, but we are nearly there."

She sucked in a deep breath and blew it out, letting her lips flap together as she turned her attention forward again. Her gaze met that of a small child's, maybe three or four, leaning over a man's shoulder a little ways into the crowd. Jasmine smiled, but they hid their face against the older drell's neck.

"Kolyat's birthday is in a week," Thane said, the tone of his voice telling her that he felt as much at a loss for conversation as she did after making idle chit-chat for an hour and counting.

"Yeah?" She turned back to Kolyat and raised her eyebrows. "Any big plans to celebrate?"

He opened his mouth as if to speak, but then closed it again and shook his head.

Thane cleared his throat. "Drell don't traditionally celebrate birthdays—not the ways you're accustomed to, at least."

"When we are young, the day is spent with our mother, showing her our gratitude for giving us life." The sorrow in Kolyat's voice felt like a vise grip clamping down around one of the ventricles of her heart and twisting. He grimaced, seeming to wrestle with the emotion for a moment before swallowing, the features of his face leveling out. "When we are older, or when our mothers are with us no more, we spend the day in Arashu's temple—at least those of us who follow the old religion—until the sun has set. Then, we return home. Aunt Kelena usually prepares whatever meal I want for dinner on the evening of my birthday, and this year, I think Quinlo will join us. I hope Father will, as well, and you, too, if you are available."

"Indeed, I hoped to join you at the temple." Thane reached around Jasmine to squeeze his son's shoulder. "If you don't mind?"

"I would like that, thank you, Father." Kolyat's gaze drifted back to Jasmine, the question clear in his eyes.

"I'm available, so long as Rone and Kelena are alright with it." She glanced at Thane. "And your father, too."

Thane chuckled, his fingers brushing across the small of her back as he pulled his hand away from Kolyat and tucked it behind his back. "I'd be pleased to have you join us, of course, and I'm sure Rone and Kelena will as well."

"Then I'll be there." She grinned, glancing back at Kolyat. "Hey," she said, and bumped her shoulder against his, making him give her an odd, uncertain look. "Are we there yet?"

Kolyat chuckled and shook his head. "Almost."

"Jasmine, you're whining." Thane lifted a brow ridge, the corner of his mouth pulled up in a playful smile. "If Kolyat returns home with this new behavior, his uncle will never forgive me."

She snorted and shrugged. "I never said I'd be a good influence on him."

Kolyat scoffed. "You should hear Quinlo's brother. He is younger, only nine, and he whines constantly."

Laughing, she rolled her head back, hearing the echo off the tunnel's walls, feeling the crowd shift around her, putting a little more space between them and the crazy alien woman. Turning her attention back to Kolyat, she grinned. "I bet I can put the kid to shame, if I try."

"Ah. I urge you not to doubt her, else she'll take it as a challenge and spend the rest of the day proving it to you." Thane smirked. "Perhaps the rest of her time on Kahje."

"You underestimate me." She trapped her lip between her teeth, reveling in the twitch of his eyes widening a hair in response. "I'll spend the rest of his life proving it, if that's what it takes."

"Indeed." He glanced away from her, and then lifted his hand to point down the path. "Look, we've arrived."

Jasmine turned her attention to the front, catching the first glimpse of dark water pressed against clear glass.

 _Christ, how far down are we? The water looks damn near black, and how the hell did they get glass thick enough not to crack under so much pressure?_

The crowd thinned as the tunnel opened up into a dim cavern, the entire far wall nothing but glass, the flicker of bioluminescence dancing on the other side. Hanar swam past, their tentacles pulling up around their bodies before shooting out behind them, propelling them through the water. Schools of brightly colored fish glowed in the illumination just before darting away from the hanar. In the depths of the ocean, the hanars' bioluminescence wasn't the faint, pastel glow she'd become accustomed to seeing from them on land, but bright and vivid, carrying far more colors than she imagined.

Kolyat led them to a bench carved from the stone of the cave wall, its angle allowing them the perfect view of the window into the ocean, and Jasmine sat down with the two of them. Whatever she expected when Kolyat told her that he wanted to take her to 'The Threshold', it certainly wasn't where she found herself. She watched the light show for a few minutes, remembering the aquariums back on Earth and reminding herself that she wasn't seeing just animals on the other side of the glass, but people, too. Seeing a hanar on the Citadel, or even moving along outside the domed city on Kahje was one thing, hell, even seeing them swim from the surface of the ocean … but seeing them as they were in front of her …. She hated herself for the mental disconnect, the fact she'd even need to remind herself the glowing entity, ensnaring a fish in long, serpentine tentacles before pulling the squirming creature to their mouth, might very well be the same person she bought groceries from the week before. But damn if they weren't beautiful, so much more graceful and ethereal in their natural environment.

The family, with the child she'd caught looking at her earlier, spread a blanket out on the floor right up against the glass. The woman sat a basket down before folding her legs beneath her and reached up, taking the kid in her arms when the man handed her the little girl—at least Jasmine thought she was a girl, based on how she dressed. Sitting down next to them, the man opened the basket and began laying out bowls and small jars.

Jasmine expected it to be food for a picnic in the basket, but instead, the drell seemed to be setting up some sort of altar. She glanced around her, noticing several other people doing the same throughout the cavern. The flicker of flames caught her eye, and then a moment later, the pungent aromas of burning herbs reached her nostrils. Pursing her lips, she suddenly felt wholly out of place, an intruder in a sanctuary where she didn't belong.

Thane caught her gaze and held it, gesturing toward the dark water in front of her. "The ocean is closely associated with one of our goddesses: Kalahira, the goddess of oceans and the afterlife." Turning a little, he glanced over his shoulder toward the wall at their left, across the expansive cavern. "Officially, this place is called Enkindler's Grotto, but we call it Kalahira's Threshold. Many like to come here to feel closer to those they've lost. It's thought the incense might entice their spirits to cross the sea again to visit."

"Why two names?" Jasmine squinted her eyes at the wall, barely able to tell over the distance that something was different about the stone, lights in the floor casting it in eerie shadows.

"Originally, The Threshold was created as a place where drell could look upon the hanar, the saviors of our people, as they are meant to be seen," Kolyat said, pulling her attention back to him. "With the island already called Enkindler's Pass, Enkindler's Grotto seemed like a natural choice for the hanar, and so it was recorded as such. In time, as our traditions started to fade and with our temples forever left behind on Rakhana, our people began gathering at Enkindler's Grotto to pray and commune with the spirits of their loved ones. Eventually it became known as Kalahira's Threshold, or more simply, The Threshold, but the records remain the same." He leaned back against the cool stone and draped an arm over the side before flashing a wide grin at her. "At least that is what we are taught in our history lessons."

Jasmine arched a brow, finding his grin infectious. "That was straight out of your classes' textbook, wasn't it?"

He dipped his head. "Indeed."

She chuckled, but she still couldn't shake the feeling she didn't belong there. Whether it's original intent was in service to the glorification of the hanar or a goddess, the place was holy to the people around her. It'd be like a drell tourist sitting in for Sunday service … or maybe crashing a funeral for a stranger back on Earth.

Thane leaned over, whispering in her ear, "Relax, siha, you are perhaps more welcome here than anywhere else on Kahje."

Keeping her voice just as low, she asked, "Why's that?"

"Because you've also lost people you care about, and despite whatever differences there are between humans and drell, in the end we're all the same. We all die; entropy always wins." He inhaled, a small hum leaving his throat as he pulled away from her and sat back.

She swallowed, fighting back the urge to take his hand in hers and never let go.

* * *

Thane followed just a few steps behind, listening as Kolyat named various sea creatures swimming past the glass while he led Jasmine along the wall. As much as he loved interacting with his son and seemed to perpetually long for Jasmine's touch, he found he liked their current dynamics quite well: him little more than a shadow moving behind them, watching over them as they bonded. A place he was familiar with, after all, he spent much of his time in the same position with Irikah …. However, this time, he made a point to not only protect but to learn, hoping to soak up some of Jasmine's innate, interpersonal skills.

"The blue and yellow one right there is a _bastial_." Kolyat pressed his finger to the glass. "When we catch fish, we return the _bastials_ because they are favored by the hanar."

"What about this one?" Jasmine pointed at a red and gray _su'tine_.

Something told Thane that she didn't really care about the names and natures of the fish, but she gave Kolyat her rapt attention and asked questions nevertheless, smiling at his answers, gaze following wherever he directed. He seemed more than content playing tour-guide, perhaps it was all the reason and reward she needed. Indeed, there might be a lesson in there for Thane.

" _Su'tine_." Kolyat glanced at her, waiting for her to meet his gaze before continuing, "They are toxic for you or I, but the hanar are able to eat them."

They walked a little further, stopping again when they neared more fish, picking at the algae growing on the other side of the glass. Jasmine glanced over her shoulder at Thane and smiled, discreetly waving her hand where Kolyat wouldn't see, beckoning Thane closer. Dipping his head and returning her smile, he moved a little closer and rested his hand on Kolyat's shoulder.

Kolyat glanced at Thane briefly, his smile warm and peaceful before he turned his attention back to the glass, pointing. "These are called mindfish. I am told the hanar eat them as a means of recreational intoxication, but they have little to no effect on drell."

"However, they have a quite potent effect, more so than with the hanar, on some other species," Thane said, making an attempt to contribute to the conversation. "Asari, batarian, volus, and humans will experience hallucinations for an entire day or more. Not so much krogans and salarians; krogans have a naturally high tolerance towards most substances and salarians tend to metabolize the secretions too rapidly for them to experience a prolonged effect. Turians and quarians can't consume them, of course. I don't know how what effect they have on elcor or vorcha."

Eyes sparkling, Jasmine pressed her lips into a thin line and looked away, the expression perplexing to him until a reedy giggle escaped her control a heartbeat later. Her shoulders jerked with her laughter, and she clamped a hand down over her mouth. Soon, both she and Kolyat were snickering, leaving Thane puzzled.

"Ah," he said, thinking he might understand his blunder. "Perhaps this is not the most appropriate topic." He glanced at Kolyat. "I suppose I should've discouraged you from discussing intoxicating substances as opposed to providing you with more information on their effects."

"Well, I mean ..." Jasmine took a deep breath, and cleared her throat, seeming to regain her composure. "... I think maybe if anything a conversation on their negative effects and why he shouldn't use them."

Kolyat turned and patted Thane's shoulder. "Do not worry, Father. I have heard far more from Uncle Drali, and Uncle Rone has already discussed with me the things Jasmine speaks of."

"Indeed?" Thane tucked his hands behind his back. "Perhaps I'd be better served having such a conversation with Drali, then."

Kolyat grinned, turning back to the fish, already pointing at another. Just then, a hanar stopped swimming, remaining next to the glass in Thane's peripherals. He turned, taking in the hanar, noting the deep, still-healing gouges etched into his flesh.

" _This one remembers you,"_ the hanar said using his bioluminescence to communicate through the glass. " _This one is grateful to you and the human."_

Thane bowed to the hanar, and he swam away.

"Father, what does he mean?" The confusion in Kolyat's voice left Thane scrambling for an explanation.

Turning back to Kolyat, Thane cleared his throat and absently waved his hand, hoping he wouldn't need to outright lie to his son. "He was in trouble on the Citadel, so Jasmine and I helped him." He could see the next question forming just on the tip of Kolyat's tongue.

"It was actually really embarrassing," Jasmine cut in, drawing Kolyat's attention to her. "I got hurt in the process and was laid up in bed for days, so maybe we can talk about something else?"

Kolyat dipped his head to her, tucking his hands behind his back. "Of course, my apologies."

And with that, the conversation was over—if not forgotten. Kolyat started walking again, and Thane took a cleansing breath, offering Jasmine a soft smile to show his gratitude. She winked at him before following Kolyat.

Not for the first time since arriving at Kalahira's Threshold, Thane became aware of more than a few distantly familiar faces watching him as he scanned the crowd. His name and Irikah's, whispered in pitied tones, echoed back to him from across the chamber, twisting his insides into painful knots. Oh, he knew they didn't mean to cause him any grievance, they probably didn't even realize their voices were carrying, and surely most wouldn't be expected to pick out specifics over the noise of the crowd. Of course they were shocked to see him, but still, it hurt. He remained steadfast, keeping the emotions from his face, as he started walked. He only hoped Kolyat didn't hear the whispers in his distraction; he prayed their voices didn't carry across the sea to Irikah's ears.

 _Perhaps she's watching me even now. What must she think of me, bringing Jasmine here with our son?_

He expected people to recognize him when he returned to Enkindler's Pass. Though he'd been careful not to use his name in any legal manner—using an alias when he checked into the hospital and rehabilitation center, relying on the credits in his alias' account for all purchases, anything that might be tracked—there were people here who knew him … before Irikah died and he left. He thought it inevitable, especially while with Kolyat, for someone to identify him as Thane Krios. Had he spent more time at home, with his wife and child, instead of in other solar systems for weeks at a time, there'd likely be far more people still in Enkindler's Pass who knew his name … knew he'd abandoned his son after his wife was murdered in their home.

He ignored them and the pain it caused, instead, keeping his focus on the only two people in the room who could possibly matter to him. It wasn't too difficult until Kolyat stopped in his tracks, his face turned to the ground beneath his feet, shoulders folding in on themselves.

"Perhaps we should go, Father." Jaw clenching, fists balling up at his sides, tears welled in the corners of his eyes when he turned to look at Thane.

Anger flared, white-hot inside of Thane. Who were these people to make his son feel so unwelcome? He took a deep breath, using it to anchor himself, to still the rising tide before it swept him away.

"What? What happened? Oh God, did I say something wrong?" Panic painted Jasmine's voice with sour tones, something he'd only heard there twice before: the night he nearly died and the night they first kissed.

It only added to his ire, because hearing fear in her voice made him want to reach out to her, pull him against his chest and assure her all was well, but he couldn't do that, not in front of Kolyat. Not yet. Her gaze bounced back and forth between him and Kolyat, brow furrowed, mouth contorted as if she bit the inside of her cheek.

Kolyat blinked several times before looking at her. "No … I—I just do not want to be here any longer."

Thane looked past Kolyat, spotting two young men, no more than two or three years older than Kolyat, but old enough to be considered adults in many circles—making their behavior that much more abhorrent. They stood, leaning against the relief of Kalahira carved into the wall, the floor lights meant to shine on an image of the divine lit their faces instead, faces twisted into cruelty as they watched his son. One of them met Thane's gaze and snickered, looking back at his friend before jerking his head in Thane's direction.

* * *

When Thane's face stilled, shifting into a mask as cold and rigid as the mountain enveloping them, the hairs on the back of Jasmine's neck stood on end. Following his gaze, her jaw snapped closed hard enough her teeth rattled inside her head, and she stared daggers at the two drell. The trained assassin and the street rat fought a war within her, one insisting she not draw any more attention to herself while the other wanted nothing more than to knock their teeth down their throats.

She pulled in a slow, deep breath, remembering all the asshole bullies she'd dealt with in her past. Chasing her down on the playground, shoving her back and forth between them while taunting her about her father, saying he left because he hated Jasmine. Kids in the orphanage cornering her in the bathrooms, making her fight to keep what few belongings she held on to from home. Jaded teenagers, high out of their minds and living on the streets, spitting in her face and calling her weak when she cried at night, missing home, missing her mother. Of course, she could never forget The Yankee, Mr. Mysterious, and Blondie. She'd like to say none of them would ever forget her either, but The Yankee wouldn't be remembering anyone, long dead in his grave with Geoffrey's bullet in his head.

"We can go, if you wish," Thane said, his voice taking on the same soothing quality he used with her whenever she became upset.

Snapping her gaze back to him, she shook her head. "No."

He blinked, lips parting as he looked at her, the light just enough for her to catch the flicker of movement of his eyes as he searched her face.

Licking her lips, she took another deep breath and turned her attention to Kolyat, putting her hand on his shoulder. He flinched, but then stilled beneath her touch, watching her with a clear mixture of shock and curiosity.

"Kolyat, listen to me. I know you don't really know me, so you've got no real reason to trust what I'm telling you, but I hope you will anyway." She glanced back at the two drell leaning against the mural. "Those assholes over there aren't worth your time." Holding his wide-eyed gaze, she continued, "Forgive my language, but they're not. I know people like them, I've dealt with far too many in my life, and I'm telling you now, if you leave because of them, it'll only get worse. Don't run." She wanted to add 'never run', but maybe that was a little too much for the kid just then. Besides, with what he'd been through and who his father was, there very well might be a time when it's either run or die.

"Hold your head up high and do what you came here to do." She offered him a lopsided smile, hoping her tone came across as more encouraging and less manic. "Enjoy spending time with your father and educate the alien on the local wildlife, okay?"

He glanced from her to his father, and she turned her head to look at Thane, too, dropping her hand back to her side. Thane watched her, the weight of his gaze enough to make her want to grab his lapels and beg him to trust her. Just as she thought he'd surely insist they leave, he dipped his head.

 _Thank you._

"Jasmine makes an excellent point," he said, lifting his gaze to hers before glancing at his son, "but the choice is yours, Kolyat."

Kolyat lowered his gaze, appearing to study his father's feet for a moment before nodding. Chewing on her lip, she held her breath, praying she didn't just make a huge mistake. His shoulders lifted, squaring, and he looked at her, tucking his hands behind his back. "I wanted to show you the _kin'lu_ growing near the glass," he said, turning back around, gaze fixed on the water, and started walking again.

She grinned, relief and pride flooding her and glanced at Thane. He smiled at her, the soft, gentle upturn of his lips he seemed to save just for her and held his hand out, gesturing for her to follow Kolyat.

* * *

"Where would you like to go for dinner?" Thane slid his arm around her waist as they stopped at the cab stand and put in a call for a taxi. As much as he loved spending time with his son, and seeing the two of them together, it relieved him to be able to feel her warmth beneath the palm of his hand once more.

Turning into him, she draped her arms over his shoulders and pressed her lips to his. He hummed, pleased by her unexpected kiss and pulled her in a little closer, tongue meeting hers when she opened her mouth to him. Lifting a hand to her face when her lips left his, he caressed her cheek. "What's that for?"

"Didn't think I needed a reason," she said, scraping her teeth over her lip, "but, because I love you."

He leaned in and kissed her again, a chaste brush of his lips against hers. "And I you, siha."

She beamed at him, eyes full of the love she just professed. "The place we ran into Drali at was good. How about there?"

"Whatever you like." He pulled away from her and opened the skycar's door for her when it arrived. He waited for her to climb inside before settling into the seat next to her, closing the door, he entered the address of the restaurant.

Scooting a little closer as the auto-pilot took over, lifting the cab into the air, she leaned against his side, pulling his arm around her. "I hope I didn't upset you earlier, with what I said to Kolyat."

"It surprised me, but it didn't upset me." He rubbed her arm, bare skin smooth as silk beneath his fingers. "I'm glad he decided to take your advice, I believe it was the right thing to do, it just pained me to see him upset."

"Yeah … I kinda wanted to go kick their asses." She snuggled in closer to him, pressing her face against his chest.

He kissed the top of her head. "As did I."

She snorted, tilting her head back to look at him. "Kolyat would've loved that." She shrugged as much as possible without pulling away from him. "Or been completely embarrassed and told you he hates you. With kids his age, you can never tell."

Thane chuckled. "He has far better things to hate me for, it amazes me he doesn't." Rubbing her arm again, he swallowed. "I owe you a debt of gratitude I don't think can ever be truly repaid."

She reached up, her hand tracing the curve of his jaw. "You don't owe me anything, Thane. You owed him, but you're doing right by him now."

"I owe you everything." Ducking his head down, he pressed his lips to hers before she started to argue.

She giggled against his lips, obviously understanding his ploy, but shifted to her knees, using them as leverage to claim his mouth completely. Moaning in approval, he hooked his hand behind one of her legs and pulled her over to sit on his lap. She wove her fingers through his crest, using the ridges to control the movements of his head, leaving him more than happy to submit to her will.

She tugged his head back, tearing her lips away from his. "You." She kissed him again. "Do." Her teeth nipped his lip, pulling a low, hungry groan from him. "Not." Tongue darting out, she licked the place she just bit. "Owe." Her lips brushed back and forth over his. "Me." She stopped and stared into his eyes, making him want to pull her back to him, but he knew she was serious. "Anything."

He cupped her cheek, brushing his thumb over her lips. "Very well, siha." But he did. He knew it, and he'd never forget everything she'd done for him, reuniting him with Kolyat, giving him back a reason to live, and healing his wounded soul.

The skycar dropped, settling itself on the platform, but she didn't move from his lap, holding his gaze a moment longer. She sighed, a soft breath he barely heard, and kissed him again. Letting go of his head, she wrapped her arms around his neck and nestled her face down against the side of his. Splaying his fingers out over her back, he pulled her a little closer and just held her there, sitting in the silence.

After a moment she pulled away and let out another sigh, far more exaggerated than the last. "Come on, I'm starving."

Laughing, he let her go, and she slid from his lap. He opened the door and stepped out before turning around and holding his hand out to her, helping her from the cab. Keeping hold of her hand, he led her inside, and within two minutes they were seated at a table, looking over the menu.

He glanced over at her, smiling at the way she moved her lips around whenever she tried to decide between several appealing options. "Tell me something about yourself."

She turned her attention to him, eyebrows lifting. "Like what?"

Considering for a moment, he leaned back in his chair. A few seconds later he waved his hand toward the table they'd occupied the last time they were at the restaurant. "Tell me about Las Vegas. I gathered you were there the same time as Drali, and for some reason this bothered you until you learned where exactly he stayed during his visit. What happened there?"

"Hmmm. You're getting too good at reading me. I'll have to work on that." She looked back at the menu, entering her order into the datapad. "I spent six weeks seducing a very wealthy, very famous man, Heinrich Schneider. I was his constant companion, visiting all of the major casinos, bars, theaters … until he gave me the information I needed." Glancing back up at Thane, the corner of her mouth lifted. "And then I killed him."

Using sex as a means to get closer to a target wasn't an unfamiliar concept for him, he'd been trained to do the same, and in fact had done the same a time or two before he met Irikah. But never since. It didn't surprise him to learn Jasmine employed the same methods, but spending six weeks with a target in such an intimate way seemed … excessive. Propping his elbows on the table, he clasped his hands together and rested his fingers against his lips. He watched her for a moment, weighing out his feelings on the topic, until she lifted her brows again, defiance filling her eyes.

"What?" She leaned in and folded her arms over the table.

He smiled at her, fully aware he skirted the edges of a land mine, and if he gave voice to his thoughts, it'd be the equivalent of willingly triggering the explosion while he stood right next to the device. Instead, he turned his attention to placing his order and asked, "You were concerned Drali might've seen you with this man?"

"Well, yeah." She lifted her shoulders. "It'd be awkward enough if he remembered me with another man, but if you throw in the fact I used an alias and the man ended up dead …."

"Indeed." He reached across the table, turning his palms out to her, and she took his hands. "Though, I admit, it might've been amusing to watch you explain yourself to him."

She snorted and rolled her eyes. "Ass."

He chuckled and squeezed her hands. "Tell me something else; anything else. I want to know all there is to know about you, siha."

A soft blush spread across her cheeks, and he found he enjoyed being the one to put it there.

"Um, hmm. Okay. My favorite color is purple. I'm an Aries." She chuckled when he cocked his head to the side. "Not Ares, but Aries. Sounds the same, but I'm referring to western astrology. What else? Oh, I was born in the year of the tiger; it's from the Chinese zodiac. You already know my favorite book and movie series. I—"

"Jasmine," he said with a laugh, "this is useful information, but I hoped for something more …."

"Personal?" She smiled at him, the teasing glint easing back from her eyes as she brushed her thumbs over his knuckles.

"Indeed." He dropped his gaze to their hands. "I love you. I know this with everything I am, but there's still so little I actually know about you." Lifting his head to meet her gaze once again, he found empathy and affection in her eyes.

"I love you, too, and I want you to know me … I just don't really know where to start with such an open-ended question." Tilting her head a little, she brought her shoulder up to meet her ear. "Maybe narrow it down for me a little bit?"

He hummed, a million questions running through his head before he plucked one from the masses. "When you're falling asleep at night, what do you think about?"

She blinked twice and pursed her lip. "Well, since meeting you, I've spent a lot of nights thinking about you." She grinned. "Though I have very different thoughts about you now than I once did. Some nights I think about work, or Geoffrey and his family. Rift. Sometimes, though not so often anymore, I think about my parents … until I'm in tears. I've replayed the night Leon died in my head many times since then. Last night I thought about Cerberus some. Before I met Geoffrey, my nights were mostly spent trying to figure out how I was going to eat the next day … or get more red sand. When I was little," she said, squinting and staring at the table as if it'd help her to see into the distant past, "it's hard to remember, but I think I use to fantasize about what life would be like as an adult; being able to do whatever I wanted, go wherever I wanted, eat whatever I wanted—cake for breakfast and a whole package of cream cheese for lunch." She chuckled and looked back up at him. "What about you?"

Thane cleared his throat and glanced around him before meeting her gaze once more. "Before I met you and before I felt close to you, I mostly thought about Irikah. Not—I used her memory to punish myself." He stopped to swallow, pushing away the memories threatening to rise to the surface, using the soft, consoling caress of her hand over his to anchor himself. "Over the last few months, while you were away, my last thoughts were always of you. Oh, I'd spend some time thinking about Kolyat and my treatments, maybe something one of the nurses said earlier in the day, or a conversation with Rone, but as my mind settled, I thought of you. I used your memory to keep me going, especially early on when the treatments were the most painful. The sound of your voice telling me you love me, the feel of your hand in mine, the way you smell, and taste …" He felt the heat creep into his frills, but made no attempt to hide it from her. "... I made love to you every night, and fell asleep with you in my arms."

The sheen to her eyes told him she fought back tears, and he only hoped love and fondness fueled those tears, because the last thing he wanted was to make her sad. Still, if she kept them at bay, she wouldn't want him to ask, or so he thought.

"Do you still use her memory to punish yourself?" She asked, her voice soft, barely above a whisper.

"No, not intentionally, though it is still quite painful when I think of her at times, especially if I'm with Kolyat." He let go of her hands and sat back, clearing the way when the waiter arrived with their drinks.

As soon as the waiter left again, she moved her glass aside and reached for him again with one hand. "I hope, for your sake and Kolyat's, you find a way to feel at peace when you remember her," she said when he took her hand. "Maybe even find some joy in the positive memories."

"I'd like that, and perhaps in time I will." He took a deep breath and prayed to Arashu that Jasmine didn't take offense with his next statement. "Siha … I think you may be using Leon's memory to punish yourself, as well. I understand if you never find any joy in his memory, but I don't wish to see you hurt yourself with him, either."

Hand twitching against his palm, she closed her eyes and swallowed. After several slow breaths she opened her eyes again and nodded. "Yeah, maybe a little. I still have a lot of hurt and a lot of anger toward him … and a part of me hates that I'm the one who killed him, even though I still think it was the right thing in the moment. God only knows how many more people he would've tried to kill if I didn't stop him, and I know him … knew him—there's no way in hell he'd have given up while still breathing. He wouldn't have let me bring him in, and he would've tried again to kill you and Nevas. I couldn't let that happen, and I think it'd be worse for me if you'd been the one to kill him instead."

He hadn't considered the possibility. Of course he'd have killed Leon himself if he'd needed to, but it never occurred to him that had he, Jasmine might harbor ill feelings toward him for the act. He supposed he understood why—she'd loved Leon once, and he was her handler, not to mention she felt responsible for everything that happened on Illium—but it pained him to consider if things went just a little differently, he might've lost her because of the man.

Forcing himself to chuckle, he rubbed her hand. "It's unfortunate Nevas wasn't the one to take the shot, though I suppose his death would still bother you all the same."

She snickered, the sound relieving some of the tension in his chest. "Maybe, but I don't think I'd blame her one bit. Poor woman, she was absolutely terrified. I meant to give her some explanation, but I suppose with everything else going on …. Do you think I should send her a message?"

"It depends." He took a drink from his water glass. "Do you think reaching out to her can cause you further trouble with the Alliance?"

She let out a heavy breath. "Possibly, if they knew I'd spoken to her at least. No one told me not to contact her, but it's kind of a given."

"Then no, I don't think you should take such a risk, siha. It's been months, Nevas has returned home where she wished to be, and is likely moving on with her life." He turned out his empty palm. "If you like, I can message her as Saman."

"Mmm." She shook her head. "I doubt the Alliance is able to track the use of your alias through galactic communications, but still, the last thing either of us need is to give them a chance to locate you and try to question you about that night."

"Indeed." He didn't really believe it was a risk to use the alias in such a simple way, but he didn't want to do anything to trouble her mind, either.

Looking up as the waiter approached, carrying a tray laden with their plates, Thane caught sight of the two young men they'd seen teasing Kolyat coming through the door. One of them spotted Jasmine almost immediately, and then his gaze slid to Thane. The man smirked before nudging his companion, directing the other's attention toward their table. Suppressing a frown, Thane turned his attention to the waiter, smiling and thanking him as he laid out the plates.

A minute later, they chose a table not far from his, and Thane sighed, calculating the odds of being able to enjoy his evening with the woman he loved without being harassed by thugs. Jasmine watched him, her head cocking to the side before she glanced over her shoulder. A moment later, she looked back at him, a frown etched into her face.

"Tell me something else, siha," he said, hoping to distract her from the unfortunate intrusion. "Perhaps something pleasant, a memory from when you were very young?"

She hesitated, lips parted, and glanced over her shoulder again before turning her attention back to him. "When I was four-years-old, my mother took me to London to visit relatives. I'd never been so far from home before, and to me, it felt like the grandest adventure." She smiled, the sort of lopsided, mocking lift of her lips she got when she thought something seemed foolish. "I pretended I was visiting another planet and all of the people I met were aliens I'd heard about but never met. I called my great-aunt an asari, and her husband a turian." She chuckled, bringing a smile to his face. "I embarrassed the hell out of my mother."

He chuckled, digging into his salad and lifting a bite to his mouth. "What did your great-aunt and uncle think?"

"My aunt laughed about it and said something about how it reminded her of her children when they were little." She shrugged, picking at her own plate, then her grin widened, her face lighting up. "My uncle went along with it; he spent the entire week pretending to be a turian. He fashioned a crest out of sticks and glue and wore it whenever he played with me." Smile faltering, her brow furrowed. "That's not bad is it? I mean, he wasn't trying to make fun of turians, just make a kid's vacation a little brighter. The First Contact War was over by then …."

He offered her a reassuring smile and a light shake of his head. "I don't think so."

The hushed voices from the other table began to rise, words becoming more crisp, and more hateful—clearly designed to antagonize Thane. "No, he disappeared after the funeral. There were rumors that he died, too, but obviously it is not the case."

Thane lowered his gaze to his plate, taking a steadying breath and reminding himself nothing would be gained if he were to kill them simply because they wished to hurt him. When he looked back up again, he saw fire in Jasmine's eyes.

"Perhaps he killed his wife." One of the thugs said, and Thane winced.

Jasmine pushed her chair away from the table, and Thane reached for her, fingers closing around her wrist. She smiled at him—a look no doubt meant to be reassuring—but the murderous glare in her eyes as she shirked him off tied knots in his stomach. He watched her, blood racing through his veins as fear set in, worried she might be about to do something regrettable. She turned, the wide, fake smile she used with targets plastered on her face and crossed the floor, pulling out a chair at the other table.

The two drell watched her, eyes-wide and jaws slack, as she sat down and opened her omni-tool. Her fingers ran over the holographic screen before she waved it first in front of one drell, and then the other. She typed, ignoring their sudden protests, and then a moment later showed them both the screen once more. She spoke quietly, voice too low to travel back to him, but still he watched her every move, already committed to the course of action he'd take if either of them put a hand on her.

After a moment, the two drell scrambled away from their table, frills so dark he could no longer tell they were red. With their lips pressed tight, one hastily threw a credit chit down, and they rushed for the door. Jasmine stood back up and pushed in her chair before turning, a smug smile on her face as she made her way back to their table and sat down.

Raising his brow-ridges, he leaned over the table. "What did you say to them?"

She opened her omni-tool and turned the screen to face him. She'd taken their photos and placed them in a message using the 'report' option on the extranet site for The Department of the Preservation of the Enkindler's Legacy. The message she included quite simply said the two drell were witnessed performing crude acts with prothean artifacts in the Enkindler's Pass Museum of Hanar History, and they were overheard talking about defacing the artifacts. She'd yet to send the message.

Thane blinked, wondering if she understood the seriousness of the threat. The hanar were a passive, kind people, but they had absolutely no tolerance for the kinds of things she intended to accuse those men of, and she'd be ruining their lives if she sent the message. Even if they were found innocent of the crimes, the allegations would remain in the memories of everyone around them, and no hanar would ever trust them again. It was no surprise they left as quickly as they did.

"I told them to stay away from Kolyat and his family, and I won't hit 'send.'" She shrugged, closing her omni-tool again. "And just in case they thought I wasn't serious, or if they decided to do something stupid later, I was going to hang on to their pictures and made them watch while I sent copies to 'a good friend of mine.'"

"Who did you send them to?" Thane sat back, impressed as much as he felt alarmed by her quick thinking and devious maneuver.

She smirked. "Laura Kramer."

He blinked. "Who is Laura Kramer?"

Shrugging, she picked up her glass of iced _elocol_. "The woman who killed Heinrich Schneider."


	35. Goodbyes

**Goodbyes**

"What's this?" Thane asked, picking up the small, wrapped box. Flipping it over once in his hand, he ran a finger over the smooth, coral colored paper and looked through the open bathroom door at Jasmine.

She glanced over her shoulder and grinned before turning back to the mirror. "I got Kolyat a birthday present." She shrugged, rifling through her little, black makeup bag. "I know it's not a drell tradition, but … I don't know, I just wanted to get him something."

Heart swelling with love for the incredible woman, he smiled, setting the package back down and moved into the bathroom to stand behind her at the sink. She met his gaze in the mirror, and he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her against him, warm and solid, _real_ in his arms. He grazed her neck with his lips and teeth, savoring the smell of the ocean and fresh air on her skin and in her hair. He wished he were able to join her outside the city's protective walls, there were a few places he would've liked to show her as well, some of the places he trained while in the Compact. Chuckling at her exasperated sigh as she painted her lips with her fruit-scented gloss, he nipped at her bare shoulder.

Stowing the gloss in her pocket, she closed the bag and sat it aside. "We're going to be late if you keep that up." She turned, draping her arms over his neck and smirked, the familiar glint of mischief danced in her eyes, making his heart skip a beat. "Not that I'd mind, but Kolyat might."

"Mmm. I suppose we can't have that." He ran his hand over her hair, still loose around her shoulders, burying his face against her neck and breathed in deep before letting it out in a sigh and meeting her gaze. He really did need to watch himself, leaving his scent all over her might draw unwanted attention, but knowing she'd be leaving him again very soon …. He kissed her, careful not to smear her freshly applied lip gloss and then rested his forehead against hers. "I love you." Licking his lips, he pulled the sweetened taste into his mouth—she'd called the flavor 'strawberry' but he smelled far more of the fruit than he tasted in the oily substance.

"I love you, too." She cupped his cheek, pushing at his jaw just enough to urge him to meet her gaze. "Hey, we won't be apart forever. You'll finish your treatments, and then you'll come find me, yeah?"

"Always." He tightened his grip around her waist, willing her to feel the truth of his words through his touch. "As long as I draw breath, I will find you, siha." He swallowed, fighting back the sudden urge to carry her back to the bed and never leave it again. "You have my word."

She held his gaze for a long moment, silence lingering between them as she seemed to weigh his words. "And you have mine. I have no intentions of letting you slip through my fingers and disappear from my life, Thane Krios." Brushing her thumb over his the ridge of his cheek, she kissed him, keeping her mouth next to his as she whispered, "Even if it means from time to time I have to hunt you down and drag you kicking and screaming back out of your battle sleep."

Something inside of him eased, a knot unfurling in the center of his chest. It was something he tried not to think about too closely—how easily he'd drifted away from Irikah in her absence and how he feared the same might happen with Jasmine if he didn't stand vigilant, holding her in his thoughts at all times when they parted ways. That she saw this in him and loved him enough to fight for him, even if it meant fighting against him, made him love her all the more.

He closed his eyes and brought his forehead back to hers. "Thank you."

She hummed and pulled him closer, wrapping her arms around his shoulders in an embrace. "Let's see if you still feel grateful when it actually happens. Now, I think we have somewhere we're supposed to be."

"Indeed." He chuckled, letting her go and stepping back out of the bathroom. "What did you get for him?"

Picking up the package, she turned it over in her hands and frowned. "It's a bracelet made of small pieces of shell. The guy I bought it from swore it'd be an appropriate gift for a kid Kolyat's age; apparently they're trendy right now." She glanced up at him, scrunching up her nose. "I don't really have any idea what sorts of things he's interested in … other than fish and medical research."

Reading her expression as self-conscious and doubtful, he offered her a reassuring smile and accepted the gift when she held it out to him. "I'm sure he'll like it, and be quite pleased you think enough of him to want to get him a gift."

She scooped her hair up in her hands, smoothing it out before pulling the elastic tie off her wrist to wrap it around the bundle, tying her hair back atop her head. "And if he doesn't, he's far too polite to say so."

Thane chuckled, dipping his head. "Indeed."

"So, what does one do spending the day in a temple with their father for their birthday?" She made her way to the door, glancing over her shoulder at him.

"Pray. Spend time with the priests. Reminisce." He held his arm out to her as they left her hotel room, and she wrapped her hand around the inside of his elbow. "I think it was cathartic, for both of us."

She smiled at him, a soft, slight upward tilt of her lips. Grip tightening on his arm, she leaned into him. "I'm glad to hear. I bet it meant a lot to him to have you there, too."

"I think so, yes." He led her down the hall, toward the lobby. "It still amazes me to be here, so close to him. Even more so to have had the chance to share time with you both, together."

"You think he'll be okay when it's time for you to leave again?" she asked, voice soft.

He turned his gaze to the floor in front of him and shook his head. "I think he's going to be crushed. But … in time, he'll adjust. Once he realizes, with no uncertainty, I intend to remain in his life the best I can."

"And … are you going to be okay when it's time for you to leave again?" She kept her tone low, unintrusive, like a whisper on the wind, something felt more than heard.

"I—I believe I will be. It won't be easy, by any means, but I know it's what's best for both of us." He looked up, searching her face for some sign she truly understood, or at least some sign she didn't disagree. Finding nothing by sympathy in her gaze, he smiled. "And I'll know you're waiting for me."

"Mhmm. I hope you don't keep me waiting too long. Who knows what trouble I might get up to without you." She winked, pulling a soft laugh from him.

* * *

Jasmine forced a smile at the drell boy gawking at her across the table. Kolyat not-so-discreetly elbowed his friend in the ribs, but still, Quinlo stared. Rone cleared his throat, and finally the kid dropped his gaze to his plate. Kolyat gave her an apologetic look, and her smile softened to something more real. She didn't fault the kid for his curiosity, but damn if it wasn't getting old. Unlike Kolyat who looked at her with awe when they first met, Quinlo looked at her as if she were a science project, a specimen he was trying to figure out how best to dissect. She'd never felt so unnerved by a child before, every inch of her skin crawled, the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end, and that little voice in the back of her head warned her to keep her distance.

Finally getting a moment's reprieve from Little Mr. Creepy Pants' scrutiny, she pulled the wrapped box up from her lap, setting it on the table in front of her and turned her attention to Kolyat. "I know it's not a tradition you're familiar with, but where I'm from, it's custom to get a gift for someone when it's their birthday." She pushed the present across the table toward him, resisting the urge to glance at Rone and Kelena to see if they approved of the gesture. "So, Happy Birthday, Kolyat."

He blinked, his gaze following the box as it traversed the table. Quinlo resumed his goggling, gaze swinging back and forth between Jasmine, the gift, and Kolyat. She bit her lip, pushing her irritated thoughts about the kid aside to focus on Kolyat instead. Watching as he hesitantly picked up the package, holding it with just the tips of his fingers as if it might sprout fangs and bite, she grinned and fought back a laugh. Glancing up, he met the gaze of everyone at the table before sliding a finger under a folded corner and popping it free. He slipped the paper off the box before sitting it back on the table to lift the lid.

She sucked in a shallow breath, nostrils filling with the smells of braised _bastial_ and roasted _naka_ , finding her nervousness absolutely ridiculous. Thane pressed his knee against hers, hidden by the ruby-red, silken tablecloth, and she slid her foot back and around his, tucking her ankle in against him. A slow smile spread across Kolyat's face as he lifted the bracelet from the box, running the smoothed chips of shell through his fingers. Jasmine grinned, sinking into her hard, low-backed chair, the design clearly meant to encourage the exact opposite of her posture as the sides pressed uncomfortably against her back, urging her upright once more.

"Thank you, Jasmine." He looked up, meeting her gaze, giving her a glimpse of excitement dancing in his blue eyes hidden behind the black, outer lense.

"You like it?" She raised her eyebrows.

His grin widened and he dipped his head. "I do, very much so."

"Allow me," Kelena said, holding her hand out to Kolyat. "It is quite lovely."

He gave her the bracelet and held his arm out, letting her fasten it around his wrist. Mumbling a 'thank you' to his aunt, he pulled his hand back, running his fingers over the blue and white shells again, turning the bracelet around on his wrist.

"It is nicer than the one San'hal wears." Quinlo seemed to finally tire of gaping at her, instead he half turned in his chair to examine the bracelet with Kolyat, the light trailing in from the living room behind him falling across his face as he turned, catching on the tans and greens of his scales, making him look a little less … ghoulish.

The statement only seemed to make Kolyat's smile beam even brighter. "It is. He will be quite jealous."

"Kolyat." Kelena made a tutting sound. "We should not be pleased by evoking such emotions in others."

"My apologies, Aunt Kelena." Kolyat schooled his smile and tucked his hands in his lap. "I did not mean to cause offense."

Jasmine didn't know who San'hal was, or why it made Kolyat happy for San'hal in particular to be jealous, but she admitted to herself it only added to her satisfaction. Maybe it made her a bad person, but just then, she didn't care. She glanced at Thane, seeing the corners of his mouth twitch, and she thought maybe he felt the same way when he lifted his fist to his mouth and cleared his throat, smile breaking through in the process.

"Jasmine, I hope you have enjoyed your visit so far," Kelena said, drawing Jasmine's attention to her. "We get so few visitors to Kahje."

"I have, yes, thank you. I haven't seen much of the planet, but Enkindler's Pass is quite beautiful." Jasmine smiled. "And I really loved seeing Kalahira's Threshold." The choice to use the drell name as opposed to the hanar name wasn't happenstance, and Jasmine knew she'd won a few more brownie points with the other woman when Kelena's smile widened. "Kolyat acted as an excellent tour guide." She glanced at him, throwing a smile in his direction.

Kelena laughed, the sound soft and musical. "I do hope he was on his best behavior."

"A perfect gentleman." Jasmine's omni-tool vibrated against her wrist and she glanced down, her gut telling her it was the call she'd been both dreading and waiting impatiently for. She fought to keep her expression neutral, returning her gaze to Kelena. "I'm sorry, I need to take this call. Is there somewhere …."

"Yes, of course," Rone spoke up, pushing away from the table. "Please, allow me to show you to the study."

"Thank you." She slid her chair out, glancing at Thane as she stood, hoping her silent apology carried over in her eyes. Taking calls at the dinner table wasn't exactly socially acceptable by human standards, she had no doubt it'd be perceived as rude by the drell at the table, but if she was right, and it was her new handler calling ….

"You are most welcome." Rone waited for her, hands tucked behind his back, face unreadable.

Following Rone out of the dining room and down a hall, she waited while he opened a door and turned on the light for her. He dipped his head, stepping back out of her way and made his way back down the hall. Jasmine stepped inside and closed the door, giving the room a quick once over, taking in shelves stacked with books, small, carved statues of drell and hanar, and holos of Kolyat and Kelena. The desk at the far side of the room, immaculately organized, held only a closed laptop and datapads sandwiched between stone figures, both of the same female drell but while one held a sword, the other cradled an infant. Jasmine thought they must represent the goddess Arashu, based on what Thane told her about his religion. She smiled before turning her back to an empty wall and answering the call.

Isaac's face appeared on the screen, his brown eyes appraising her instantly. "Shepard." He nodded, his shoulders relaxing as if whatever he saw in her put his mind at ease, and he smiled. "Your vacation is agreeing with you. You look good."

"But it's time to come back to work," she said, not as a question or even a complaint, but a simple acknowledgement of why he called.

He smirked. "I already forgot how brusque you can be. Yeah, it's time to come back to work. I've reinstated your alias, Ramona Salazar, and I want you on the Citadel in two days. I trust you can make that happen?"

She sighed and nodded. She knew the time for her to leave grew closer, and she was getting a little restless, but the thought of leaving Thane behind made her chest ache. "I'll be there. Are you sending me a dossier?"

He shook his head. "Not yet. You've been out of commission for awhile, I need to make sure you're up to the task, and it's a good idea for us to get to know each other a little better. I need you to trust me as much as you need me to trust you, and that's not going to happen out of nowhere—for either of us."

"Okay." She pursed her lips. "So … what? We'll be working together at the training facility there?"

Isaac bobbed his head back and forth a little. "Mmmm, something like that." He grinned, a playful cunningness making his eyes sparkle sass, spiking her curiosity and pouring a little water on the seed of fondness he'd planted in her the day they met. "I'll have you a place set up, everything you need. Message me with the name of your ship and ETA, I'll meet you at the docks."

"Alright, I'll make the arrangements tonight." She gave him one quick nod of her head, biting back a 'sir' before it made it's way from her mouth, remembering his distaste for the honorific at the last second.

"Good, I'll see you soon, Shepard." The screen went dark.

Closing her omni-tool she let out a heavy breath, letting her lips flap against each other before leaving the study. She made her way back down the hall, pasting a smile on her face and squaring her shoulders, forcing herself to be vigilant of her body language so no one would know her heart was really breaking. Soft laughter trickled down the hall, and she heard Thane's voice among the mix. Somehow, it helped to ease the pain a little. Everyone glanced up at her as she came back into the room.

She pulled her chair back out and sat down. "I'm so sorry."

"It is quite alright." Kelena smiled at her, the look carrying with it a sense of indulgence. "I hope everything is well."

Jasmine nodded and picked up her water glass. "Yes, it was a work call I've been expecting." She waved her free hand, as if it were of no real importance. "I suppose they wouldn't call it a vacation if it didn't have to come to an end."

"You are leaving?" Shock filled Kolyat's voice, hitting her like the worst kind of accusation, leaving a sour taste in her mouth.

"Kolyat," Rone and Kelena said in unison.

But Kolyat didn't apologize right away, instead, he watched her, a frown pulling at his mouth. She wanted to kick herself. Hard. She should've known he'd be disappointed with such news. It wasn't as if he didn't know her time on Kahje was limited, but still, she'd never given him a specific date of departure, leaving it open for him to extend her stay in his mind. And she knew by the look on his face, he'd done just that.

"I am, but not right this moment. I have to make arrangements tonight." Jasmine swallowed, trying not to let her tone sound too much like she was trying to soothe him, but making her genuine regret heard. "I'm due back in two days."

Kolyat sat his fork down on his mostly empty plate. "Then … I am glad I had the opportunity to meet you, Jasmine. I hope to see you again, someday."

"Me, too, Kolyat." A knot formed in her throat, and for a second, she thought she might cry.

He looked so deflated and on his birthday, even. He should be happy, smiling, and laughing with his family and friend. Instead, she'd just made a stupid, careless mistake and ruined his night. She did hope to see him again, but she knew it was pretty unlikely—not in person, at least. Finding a ship headed to Kahje, let alone one that'd let her aboard, had been near to impossible, and she paid out the ass for the ride. The Illuminated Primacy didn't allow for a lot of incoming traffic, it wouldn't be a place she'd be able to return to often, if at all, especially once she started working again and had limited time between jobs. She couldn't tell him as much, though.

* * *

Thane wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her in closer when Jasmine flung her arms around his neck. Turning his face into her hair, he breathed in and held it, taking solace in the idea of those molecules of grapefruit and papaya scented air becoming a part of him. He'd helped her make arrangements, securing her passage aboard a ship headed to the Ismar Frontier. The ship would dock on Zorya, where she'd board another ship headed to the Citadel. She refused to arrive on a ship departing from Kahje as a precaution—to protect his family—despite the potential for trouble Zorya represented, being the home of the Blue Suns. Still, he trusted her to be careful and knew she was capable of defending herself.

He took in another deep breath, rubbing his face against hers. "We have the rest of the night and all day tomorrow together, where would you like to go? What would you like to do?"

She tucked her head under his chin and sighed. "This."

She sighed again, the sound so sad and wistful it tore at his carefully constructed walls, making his throat spasm with the effort it took to keep himself from begging her to stay. She'd asked him to once, the last time they parted ways, perhaps she'd do the same again, and he'd plead with her not to leave. He wanted her to stay by his side forever. She needn't stop working, if she didn't want to; they could take jobs together and ….

"I just want to spend what time we have left in your arms." She pulled back just enough to meet his gaze and bit her lip. "Okay?"

"That sounds perfect." He lifted a hand to her face, tugging her lip free, and kissed her.

Grinning, her eyebrows lifted, a hopeful spark in her eyes. "Maybe we can just curl up on the couch and watch vids until we're ready for bed?"

He chuckled. "Whatever you like, siha."

"I love you." She pushed up on her toes, chest pressing against his, and kissed him with soft lips on his brow.

The gesture brought another chuckle from him, and he brushed his knuckles along her jaw when she settled back on her heels. "And I you."

"I'm going to drag the blanket over and maybe a couple of pillows." She glanced over her shoulder at the bed before returning to his gaze. "Will you get us something to snack on and some drinks?"

"As you wish." He kissed her again and then let her go, watching for a moment as she moved to the bed before making his way to the kitchen area.

After digging through her cabinets, he felt fairly convinced she'd managed to find and horde every scrap of unhealthy food shipped to Kahje. Three varieties of sliced, deep-fat fried vegetables, sugar covered pastries, chocolates, and a packaged of some sort of dried meat labeled 'beef jerky' with an astonishingly high sodium content. Smiling to himself over her eating habits, and how poorly she had him eating over the last few weeks, he carried everything to the coffee table so she might take her pick.

She flashed him a childlike grin as she scooped up the beef jerky and tore the package open with her teeth, settling back on the couch to kick her shoes off. He laughed and returned to the kitchen area, opening the refrigeration unit to see what she had to drink. He found Tupari in her refrigerator, along with a half bottle of asari wine, and bottled _elocol._

"Jasmine, what would you like to drink?" He glanced her way to find her holding a strip of the jerky between her teeth while she flipped through a list of vids on the screen.

She pulled the meat from her mouth and looked at him. "Wine, since it's already open. After that, probably _elocol_. You can take the Tupari to Kolyat … if they let him drink that kind of stuff."

"Unlikely, but perhaps it will interest someone at the rehabilitation center." He retrieved glasses from the cabinet before taking the wine and _elocol_ back to the table.

She poured them drinks while he took off his jacket and vest, knowing she'd want to rest her head against his bare chest, and wanting to be able to feel her warm skin on his scales. Sitting down next to her, he pulled off his boots, sliding them under the edge of the table before tucking one of the pillows behind him. She handed him a glass of _elocol_ and snuggled in against his side. She started a vid, _Horizon's Gamble_ —about an asari explorer adventuring into unchartered territory only to find the local inhabitants aren't as welcoming as she'd hoped, according to the description—and used her omni-tool to dim the lights before pulling the blanket up around them.

As the first asari appeared on screen, Jasmine glanced over at him, a smile spreading over her face when he met her gaze. "This vid has terrible reviews."

"Oh?" He wanted to ask why she chose it, then, but thought it might sound rude.

Her grin widened. "Yep. I'm introducing you to another human tradition." She snuggled in a little closer. "Find a vid with the worst reputation, and then spend the entire time making fun of it."

He laughed, stealing the piece of beef jerky from her hand and ripping some off with his teeth before handing it back to her. The umami teased his tastebuds as he chewed, the salt not as overwhelming as he expected, somehow enhancing the other spices along with the taste of the red meat itself. Whatever animal beef came from, he found it appealing and wondered in what other ways it might be prepared.

He hummed his approval, digging a piece of his own out of the bag when she held it out to him. "And you find this more entertaining than watching a vid you might actually enjoy?"

"Sometimes, yeah." She leaned forward, tossing the bag back to the table and picking up her wine glass.

He arched a brow ridge at her, the corner of his lip lifting in a smirk. "Humans have the most fascinating traditions."

* * *

Jasmine watched his face as he swept her hair back, tucking it behind her ear before tracing the curve of her jaw. She wondered what exactly he saw when he looked at her. Was she really as beautiful to him as he was to her? The soft light filling the room from the bedside lamp caught on his scales and in his eyes, and she saw the strain she felt reflected there. Would it ever get any easier for them, when it came time for one or the other to leave? She hoped the pain was worth the pleasure for him. Without a doubt, it was for her.

"When's your birthday?" she asked, realizing she never knew for sure, but must've missed one since they'd known each other. "Back on the Citadel, when we were talking after I killed the guy in the warehouse, Ryan Archer, you said you'd soon be thirty-three, but I never asked when."

He smiled, but something about it seemed sad as his gaze focused on her eyes. "Ah. By the hanar calendar, my birthday was the forty-third day of the month _Hinyal_. The day you left for Illium."

She winced, sucking a hissing breath in between her teeth. Apparently ruining birthdays by leaving became her new thing. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"It didn't seem relevant," he said with a shrug. "Especially in light of everything else."

Pushing her lower lip out in a pout, she sighed. "It's relevant to me. I would've gotten you something for your birthday. Made you eat more cake."

He chuckled, brushing his thumb over her lip. "You did give me something. You gave me this, us."

Snorting, she rolled her eyes, shaking her head against the pillow. "You're such a hopeless romantic." She reached up, pressing her hand to his face. "Who would've ever guessed one of the galaxy's most deadly men is really a big softy?"

He scoffed, turning his head to kiss her palm. "Is it such a bad thing?"

"Not at all. It's just the last thing I expected when we first met." She caressed his frills, smiling at the soft, throaty hum her touch elicited. "Not what I'm used to in people, I guess."

"How unfortunate." He smirked, leaning in to brush his lips over hers, the heat of his naked body so close made the kiss seem far less chaste. "Or, perhaps, how fortunate for me."

She chuckled, tugging him back to her for another kiss when he started to pull away, letting his lower lip linger between hers for a moment. "Favorite place in the galaxy?"

"This very spot." He grinned when she huffed and then said, "I'm rather fond of Chalkhos."

Brow furrowing, she tried to place the name but came up blank. "Chalkhos?"

"It's an asari planet in the Mil System of Sigurd's Cradle. I went there for a contract, the target a krogan bonded to an asari who ran a research facility. He made enemies in Citadel space and then returned to the Terminus Systems, believing he'd be beyond reach on Chalkhos." He waved his hand, brushing the thought aside. "It's not the planet itself that appeals to me, but the view of its twin planet, Selvos. It's a stunning sight. Almost as beautiful as you." He brought his hand back to her face, caressing her cheekbone. "What's yours?"

"Hmmmm." She pursed her lips as she thought, her mind pulling up location after location before tossing them aside and finally settling on one in particular. "Demeter. You know it?"

"Indeed." He dipped his head, the pillowcase making a susurrate of sound as his scales moved across the material. "Why Demeter?"

She lifted a hand to his face, tracing the grooves where the larger, plate-like scales fused together, trying her best to commit each line to memory. "It's where I went when I left Earth for the first time."

"Ah." Settling a hand on her hip, only the thin blanket separating them, he rubbed up and down over the curve of her hip to waist and back again, pulling a contented sigh from her lips. "Was this for work, or when you were younger?"

"I was ten. My father was from there originally, and we went to Demeter when his father passed away for the funeral." Dropping her hand down to his shoulder, she swept her fingers over the pattern of black stripes running along his arm. "I'd never met my grandfather, so I didn't really feel anything in particular about his death. I remember trying to hide my excitement about going offworld because I didn't want my dad to feel like I didn't care grandpa's death hurt him."

He hummed, shifting his hand to the small of her back, stretching his arm out further and exposing more of his markings to her. "Did he have other family there?"

"Uhh, yeah," she said with a nod, "his uncle. His dad's half-brother. I met him and his family for the first and only time at the funeral."

"Forgive me for prying into an uncomfortable topic," he said, then hesitated, drawing her gaze back to his, "but I don't understand how it is you ended up on your own at such a young age after your parents died if you have family both on Earth and Demeter. Would no one take you in?"

"The first few months after my mother died, they had me in foster homes while they tried to track down my father." She shrugged, turning her attention back to a stripe swooping over his shoulder and down across his chest. "After that, they tried my mother's family in London, but by then my great-aunt and uncle passed away, and their kids moved." She leaned in compelled to kiss the stripe, and pressed her lips to his shoulder. "They were still trying to find my mom's relatives—I guess the agency figured it'd be better for me to stay on Earth with my mother's family than go to Demeter—but they were still looking when I ran away."

He brought his hand back to her face, pushing aside a lock of hair, dislodged when she leaned in to kiss his shoulder. "Have you … have you tried to find them yourself?"

She shook her head. "They're strangers to me, I don't really see the point."

He searched her face, for what she wasn't really certain, before moving his hand back to her hip, pulling her in a little closer to him. "Is there a place you never wish to return?"

She felt fairly certain he wanted to say something entirely different in the moment, but for whatever reason, he chose to keep it to himself. Figuring if it was important, he'd say it sooner or later, she let it go. Just then, she didn't want to pry; she wanted to enjoy the last few, peaceful moments with him, acutely aware she had three hours before she needed to be on her shuttle. "Mmm. I don't know, nothing immediately comes to mind. You?"

"No." He moved his arm, pulling it down beneath the blanket to run his warm, soft hand over her bare skin, moving in lazy circles over her hip and back. "The only place I've ever avoided is Kahje, and now, I feel more at peace here than I have in years. That isn't to say I'm not still troubled by the thoughts of what happened here, but there is love and hope here, too."

She smiled, scooting even closer to him until her abdomen brushed against his. "I'm glad you decided to come back."

"As am I." With one smooth movement, he pulled her flush against him before rolling with her, moving her to her back so he laid atop her, arm and knee supporting some of his weight. He grinned when she giggled and then nipped at her lip. "I'm more glad you decided to join me here."

Bringing her arms up to wrap them around his neck, she lifted her head from the pillow to kiss him, her tongue parting his lips with ease as a desperate rush of need swept over her. It wasn't about wanting sex and chasing an orgasm—she'd had more than her fair share of those over the last month—but Christ, she wanted him inside of her, wanted to feel his heart beating against her chest as he moved within her, arms surrounding her, whispered words of passion in her ear. She wanted to lose herself in him, feel her very soul mingle and dance with his. She wanted … breaking the kiss, she met his gaze. "Make love to me," she whispered, so vulnerable in that moment, voicing her desires any louder might completely unravel her.

Her voice must've betrayed the intensity of her emotions, or maybe he just saw something in her eyes, because she saw the sudden shift in his gaze as nothing less than a mirror reflection of her own needs. He didn't say anything, only brushed his lips over hers, soft and slow, before his tongue found hers in a gentle caress. Lifting her head into the kiss, she ran a hand over the tight muscles of his back and shoulder blade, moving the other down to cradle the side of his head and jaw. Threading his fingers through her hair, he shifted his weight, sliding one of his legs between her thighs. She locked her ankle around his knee, just to be that much closer to him, before tucking one of her arms down between them, maneuvering it under his arm and then wrapping it around his ribs, fingers splaying out over his back.

She turned her face, rubbing her cheek against the top of his forehead, brushing her lips over the first spike of his crest when he dipped his head to leave a scorching, wet trail down her throat with his tongue. Shifting his weight a little, he cupped her breast with his free hand, trapping her nipple between the knuckles of his thumb and forefinger, applying a gentle pressure as he kneaded her breast with palm and fingers. Growing harder against her thigh, his body called out to hers, making her insides twitch and tighten with yearning.

Using his knee, he spread her legs wider, bringing his other leg over to join the first, giving her the space to wrap herself around him further. She held him close, hands skirting over frills and scales, muscles rolling beneath her fingers with his every movement, ankles hooked behind his knees. He moved a little lower, lips, tongue, and teeth taking in everything within reach. She gasped when his mouth closed over her nipple, his tongue twirling over the sensitive bud. His hand kneaded along her side, gently squeezing handfuls of hip and thigh, reaching under her bent leg to cup her ass before trailing his hand back up her leg and over her knee to take his time making his way back to her hip.

Releasing her breast, he shifted on the bed, licking, kissing, nipping his way lower. She knew he intended to bury his face between her legs, use his tongue and his fingers to make her orgasm; she knew he enjoyed that as much as she did, but it wasn't what she wanted. As intimate a gesture as it was, oral sex held a particular _distance_ she didn't think she could stand just then, not when she only wanted to feel _closer_ , as close as possible.

Tugging at his crest, she urged him back up to her, claiming his mouth with her own once more. She lifted her hips to meet his, pressing herself against him, a silent plea, begging him not to make her wait any longer. He moaned in her mouth, hand tightening in her hair as she rocked her hips, leaving him slick with her wetness. Reaching between them, she took him in hand, stroking his length before guiding him to her opening.

She broke the kiss, holding her breath and tilting her head back, her whole body shuddering as he eased himself inside. Tears given life by her overwhelming bliss pooled in her eyes, and she blinked, letting them roll down over her temples. Brushing his lips over the tear tracks, first one side and then the other, he slid his arms under her, cradling her as he moved against her, filling her completely. She clung to him with the sort of desperation that ought to frighten her, but instead only made her hungry for more of him, all of him.

"I love you." The words rushed out of her, broken and ragged, cracking in her drying throat as she sucked in deep lungfuls of air. And then, as if saying it once wasn't enough, she said it again, and again, feeling every bit as if she chanted a prayer only God might hear.

But Thane heard her, too, returning each muttered devotion with his own, his words whispered in her ear and across her skin. "I love you, Jasmine. I am yours, my beautiful siha. Always, I love you."


	36. Soul of Fire

**Soul of Fire**

Isaac leaned against the railing, a splash of burgundy in a sea of bland colors, looking out at the ships moving in and out of the docking bays. She watched him through the crowd, the scents of a thousand different perfumes and the sounds of countless voices overwhelming her senses, an avalanche of stimuli after the quiet, calm of Kahje. She realized a part of her missed the energy of so much activity, but a much larger part missed the stillness of waking up in Thane's arms. It took only a second before Isaac glanced up, meeting her gaze, but then he turned his attention back out to the air traffic. Smirking, she made her way through the throng of people coming and going and stopped a meter away. He turned his head to look at Jasmine when she set her bags down, and she turned to lean back against the railing.

"You ready to get to work?" He flipped around, mirroring her posture.

"Where do we start?" Her gaze roamed the length of the long-limbed man standing next to her, taking in his rather conspicuous, wine-colored suit. The lapels were wide and flashy, and a crisp, white shirt showed underneath, contrasting nicely against his dark complexion. "You always dress like that?"

He cocked an eyebrow at her. "What's wrong with how I dress?" He pushed off the railing, hands raised to the side, and tucked his elbows in against him as he spun. Stopping, he pinched the lapels between thumb and forefinger, sliding his fingers down and then off the edge of the fabric with a flick of his wrist. "I look good."

She laughed, letting her head loll back on her shoulders before turning her attention back to him, finding him grinning. "What?"

"Nothing." He reached out, gripping the rail with one hand, his stance tilted as he leaned his weight to the side, one ankle crossed over the other. Tucking his other hand into his pants pocket, he shrugged. "Just wasn't sure if you were capable of laughter."

She snorted and rolled her eyes. "We met once. For like five minutes. You don't know me."

"You're right, I don't." He pushed away from the railing again, opening his omni-tool. "That's why we're here. I'm sending you some information you'll need on the Citadel, you can look over it later, and your omni-tool will now register as belonging to Ramona Salazar." Closing the omni-tool, he gestured at her bags. "May I?" He picked up the larger of her bags when she nodded—the one carrying her gun case, among other things—and slung it over his shoulder. "I've already set you up with an apartment. I'll be next door."

Jasmine pursed her lips. She didn't know how she felt about him taking the liberty to rent her an apartment. she liked to find her own places, check the building out before deciding. She picked up the other bag, holding it out to him. "Trade me."

He glanced down at the bag before meeting her gaze again, giving her a knowing look. "You know, this trust thing has to start somewhere." But he slid the bag from his shoulder, making the switch with her.

She turned her gaze to the bag, pulling the strap up over her shoulder before grazing the canvas with her fingertips, an almost loving stroke. She knew he thought her reluctance revolved around letting someone else carry her rifle—the weight of the bag and how it shifted would've been obvious to him the second he picked it up if he was as good as she thought—but the rifle only counted for half her reasons. The other half laid in the straw colored shirt snuggled in next to her sniper rifle's case. Thane's shirt. She'd secreted it away the morning she left, leaving her panties in its place, tucked inside his overnight bag.

She shrugged and offered Isaac an apologetic smile. "Yeah, just … maybe not there."

* * *

Jasmine stepped into the apartment, acutely aware of the man standing behind her. A deadly man she knew she needed to learn to trust, but after Leon …. "Come in, if you want." She made her way into the living room, dropping her bag on the couch before turning to watch him cross the threshold.

He tugged the bag from his shoulder and glanced around. "Where do you want this?"

She waved at the overstuffed cushion of the couch before wandering through the apartment. Far nicer than the ones she normally rented for herself, it came with a full kitchen and dining area, a large bedroom with a master bath, and a smaller guest room—all furnished, of course. Paintings decorated the walls, metal filagree lined the trim on the walls and around the fireplace. She'd seen the Tiberius Towers before, but she'd never been inside. Surprisingly, her work rarely brought her to the flash and dazzle of Silversun Strip.

 _He better not expect me to pay for this place._

Isaac stood next to the couch, watching her as she moved from room to room. "I've already swept for cameras and listening devices, but I'm guessing you'll want to do it again anyway."

"Well, I wanted to be polite and not do it in front of you, but …." She pursed her lips, opening her omni-tool and activating her Alliance regulation espionage detection system.

He chuckled, giving his head a little shake. "Mind if I sit down?"

"Go ahead." She walked over to the couch, scooping up her bags to clear the way, and then headed back to her new bedroom, running the scanner as she went. After setting the bags on the bed, she took her time going over every centimeter, including the master bath, and closet. "This place is pretty nice," she called out, turning off the lights as she left the room and headed down the hall to the guest bedroom.

"Glad you think so, it's home for the next few weeks."

"Few weeks?" She opened the closet for the guest bedroom, running her omni-tool through the empty space. "Leon had me change places every couple of weeks at the most."

"I'm not Leon," Isaac said, his voice coming from far closer than she expected.

She glanced over her shoulder, not nearly as startled by his sudden presence in the doorway after having spent a month with Thane around the clock, but still it made her hackles rise. "No. No, you're not." She closed the closet, making her way around the room, scanning the furniture and walls, casting the occasional glance his way. "Did you know him?"

"I met him once. Good looking white boy, muscles for days, and mmm, those eyes of his." He chuckled. "I can see why you went for him."

Turning to face him, a smirk settled over her face, and she raised an eyebrow. "Wasn't bad in bed, either. But he was an asshole, through and through." She swallowed against the sudden knot in her throat and turned away, continuing her scan of the room. "He was there, though, when I needed him."

"Shepard." He paused, until she looked at him. "What you did … you made the right choice. Now, I know that doesn't make it any easier, but you've got to figure out how to let it go. Let him go."

She closed her omni-tool. "I'll finish the sweep later. I'm hungry, so unless you've stocked the fridge, too …."

He smiled, holding his palms up and out toward her in surrender. "Alright. Alright, we don't start there, either. So you tell me, then. Where _do_ we start?"

" _Le Bleu_ ," she said with a shrug.

" _Le Bleu_?" His eyebrows dipped before arching in understanding. "The dive in the Bachjret Ward?"

Jasmine smirked, raising an eyebrow of her own. "Watch yourself, those are fightin' words."

He laughed, the sound full-bodied and rich, bringing a lazy smile to her face. "That so?"

A part of her was afraid to admit it, but he really did seem like a nice guy. She felt grateful toward the man for getting her out of her cell back on Earth, but she didn't want it to cloud her judgement, either. She remembered a time, before all the shit with Leon, she wouldn't have thought twice about it. They assigned him as her handler and it would've been good enough for her. Since Leon … well, she guessed she'd figure out soon enough whether or not Isaac could be trusted.

"Yep." She crossed her arms over her chest, resting her weight on one hip. "I've given them enough credits, I could probably get a discount if I asked."

He bobbed his head, the same little dance to a tune only he heard just as he did when they first met. "Alright, _Le Bleu_ it is."

She pointed at him from beneath her crossed arms. "You're buying."

"I'm buying," he said with a nod.

"Good." Grinning, she moved toward him and the door. "Let's go, bossman."

* * *

Jasmine picked up a fry, pausing with it halfway to her mouth. "Where are you from?" Her stomach grumbled as she caught a whiff of the fried delight, taste buds longing for something greasy and fattening after her time spent on Kahje. She popped it in her mouth, fighting back the urge to moan as the salt and oil hit her tongue.

"Earth—Seattle." He cut into his steak. "You?"

She finished chewing, buying herself time to study his face, trying to ferret out whether or not he meant to toy with her. "You didn't read my file?"

"No, I prefer to get to know you in person." He met her gaze and lifted a shoulder, letting it drop again before bringing his fork to his mouth. "I might read it later, if I feel there's a need." Putting the steak in his mouth, he chewed twice before the corners of his mouth turned down and he nodded. "Not bad."

As far as she could tell, he told the truth, but then again, if she saw any sign of a lie, he'd be crap at his job. "I was born on Earth, spent the first part of my childhood in Corpus Christi, the last bit in Santa Fe."

He swallowed, chasing it with a drink of iced tea. "Yeah?" Turning his attention back to his plate, he cut another piece. "Where'd you like living better?"

She shrugged, unwilling to examine her opinion on the subject too closely. "I spent most of my time in Santa Fe on the streets."

 _But I found my mother dead in a puddle of her own blood in Corpus Christi. Both places were shit._

Isaac paused, his fork halfway to his mouth. "How'd that happen?"

She stalled, shoving another fry in her mouth, chewing and swallowing it before answering. "Parents died when I was young. Didn't like the foster system." She shrugged again, hoping the simple answer might be enough for him. "So I left."

"Damn. Must've been rough." He stuck his fork in his mouth, watching her with a thoughtful expression as he ate. "So, how does one go from living on the streets in Santa Fe to being a Phantom?"

She sucked in a deep breath, shoulders lifting as her ribs expanded. "Some idiots decided to try and force me into their skycar a few blocks away from an Alliance recruiting office. One of the men who worked there came to help me." She fell silent a moment, gaze staring at nothing in particular as she remembered the empty look to the man's eyes, blood trickling out of the hole in his head. The man Geoffrey shot; the man she still thought of only as 'The Yankee'. "He ended up taking me in … I guess enlisting seemed like the best option when I turned eighteen."

"He adopted you?" Isaac studied her when she met his gaze again.

"No," she said, shaking her head and picking at her plate, forcing her guard down a little further. "I was seventeen and already emancipated by then. He just … let me stay with him and his family."

"Sounds like a good man."

Smiling, she picked up a french fry. "He is." Folding the fry in two, she pushed it in her mouth.

"You stay in touch with him?"

"Yep." Jasmine took a drink of her iced tea, meeting his gaze, letting the silence linger. She watched him for a moment as he dug into the baked, orange-skinned tuber—likely the same thing her fries were made from—slathered in butter, sour cream, and chives, or at least something very similar to those things. "What about your family?"

"They're still around, in Seattle. I can't say I talk to them very much, but every so often I like to surprise my mom for Christmas." He smiled and turned his attention back to his plate, waving his fork before starting to cut at his steak again. "Show up on her doorstep and demand she feed me."

She chuckled and nodded. "Sounds about right. I check in on the people who took me in from time to time. I'm usually ushered straight to the table." She hesitated a moment before adding, "I stopped by there first when you had me released."

He bobbed his head, stuffing another bite into his mouth. If he already knew she'd spent time at Geoffrey's, he gave no sign. "They doing good?"

"Yeah, yeah, they are." She smiled, thinking of Rift and how well he'd adjusted to his new family. She cleared her throat, shifting around in her chair. "So, Isaac what?"

"Winter." He glanced up, gaze suddenly serious but not unkind. "But from now on, while we're here and in public, you'll only call me Raymond Johnson, even when there's no one in earshot."

She scraped her teeth over her lip, filing away the boundary he just marked for later reference and nodded. "How about just Ray?"

He smirked, holding her gaze. "If it makes you happy." He took a sip from his glass. "Who does Ramona Salazar know on the Citadel?"

She blew out a slow breath, letting it puff out her cheeks. "Service Chief Mark Denver, Gunnery Chief Daniel Cornerstone, and Gunnery Chief Sarah Patel along with a handful of others—I can't recall their names off the top of my head—from the Alliance training facility. Private Mike Rawlins, he runs the front desk sometimes and has a thing for Ramona, or at least he did before I left." She shook her head when he raised an inquisitive eyebrow. "An asari waitress at Chora's Den named Faline. A few store and restaurant employees. That's about it." It wasn't entirely true, but she certainly held no desire to explain why she knew people who worked at the hanar clinic.

He pointed at her with his fork. "And who do _you_ know on the Citadel?"

She watched him for a moment. "Just a few of the street kids. They know my name, and they know I'm Alliance, but they don't know what I do."

He raised an eyebrow. "No one else?"

"I don't think so." She shrugged, tilting her head toward her shoulder, giving herself an out. "The Citadel's a big place, people come and go all the time …."

"Fair enough." The twitch of the corner of his eye told her that he knew there she held something back, but he didn't push. "I'm going to introduce you to a couple of contacts I have here. You should start making your own."

She frowned, leaning back in her chair. "I—Leon discouraged me from making contacts outside of the Alliance."

Isaac cocked an eyebrow. "I'm _not_ Leon." He held her gaze until she nodded, then turned his attention back to his plate. "The Alliance won't always have what you need when you need it."

* * *

Thane sat forward in his chair, palms wrapped around a warm cup of _cinuela_. He watched Kolyat as the boy studied the black and white, spiral pattern of the _treala_ board. Kolyat turned the polished, blue stone over in his fingers before placing it within his uncle's territory—a poor move, by Thane's understanding of the asari game. Rone hummed, picking up his own stone, taking the opening Kolyat gave him, and placed his marker near the center of the spiral—two moves away from winning.

Kolyat groaned, earning him a chuckle from both men. "I concede. It is nearly time for bed anyway." He pushed his chair out from the table and stood, turning to look at Thane. "I would like to see you tomorrow, after school, Father."

Setting his cup on the table, Thane stood and opened his arms to his son. "If I am feeling well enough after my treatment, and your uncle and aunt permit, perhaps we can go to dinner together, just the two of us." He pulled Kolyat to him when the boy stepped into his embrace. Kissing the top of Kolyat's head, he smiled at the soft grumble of rebuke.

"So long as he is home in time to complete his lessons, I see no problem with this." Rone began collecting the pieces of the _treala_ game and putting them away in the case. "I am sure Kelena will have no complaint, either."

Rone glanced down the hall toward his room where his wife retreated shortly after dinner, saying she wanted to relax and read for awhile before bed. Thane understood the worry passing over his brother's face, when Irikah was pregnant with Kolyat, she grew tired so easily. She'd chased him out of their room more than once when he fretted over her, telling him she was pregnant, not dying, and to leave her alone. He thought about sharing this with Rone, but he had a feeling Rone understood perfectly well his wife's condition was normal, it just did little to soothe the concern.

Kolyat pulled away and dipped his head to Rone. "Thank you, Uncle." Turning back to Thane, he smiled. "Goodnight, Father."

"Goodnight, my son. Sleep well." Thane patted Kolyat's shoulder before picking up his cup. He swallowed the rest of his _cinuela_ before taking the empty cup to the kitchen. On his way back to the dining room, he tucked his hands behind his back, prepared to tell Rone goodbye and take his leave, but Rone stopped him with a weighted glance.

"It would please me if you would stay a moment longer, Brother. I wish to speak with you." Rone turned, setting the _treala_ box on the shelf behind the table.

"As you wish." Thane glanced over his shoulder, seeing Kolyat step into his bedroom, the door closing behind him. Resting his hands on the back of a chair, Thane watched Rone, waiting to see if he'd be asked to sit again.

Turning back around, Rone waved at the chair before sitting himself. "Thank you." He waited for Thane to sit and meet his gaze again before saying, "I trust your treatments are going well."

"Indeed. I suspect I will be finished within the next two or three weeks." Thane hesitated, unsure of the conversation's direction. "They have yet to give me a more specific date."

 _Things are going well, surely he isn't in a hurry for me to leave Kahje?_

"I am pleased to hear your health is improving." Rone smiled, waving a hand in Thane's direction. "I suspect you are eager to return to your … work. I wonder if you will be spending time with your friend again once your treatments end."

Thane dipped his head, unease spreading through him, tightening the muscles along his spine despite Rone's smile. Something about the atmosphere, the particular way Rone led the conversation, made Thane feel as if something unpleasant waited around the corner. "It is my intention to spend as much time with her as possible, yes."

"Though he spent little time with her, Kolyat seems to have grown rather attached." Rone cleared his throat. "I have yet to see him take to anyone so swiftly as he did with Jasmine. I admit this troubles me." He tilted his head to the side, as if considering his next words carefully, or perhaps deciding on whether or not to speak them at all. "He spent the evening sulking after the two of you left, and he awoke in the night, screaming loud enough to wake Kelena and I. When I checked on him, he would only say it was a bad dream and apologized for disturbing us."

Rone fell quiet, looking down at his cup still on the table. Thane knew Rone needed to say something more, so he remained still and silent, focusing on keeping his breathing steady and his heart from racing. He didn't see how Jasmine leaving might cause Kolyat nightmares, sulking yes, but nightmares? It seemed apparent Rone believed it to be true, however. Fear for what it might mean for his relationship with Jasmine and with his son wrapped a fist around his throat.

"They stopped completely before you called the first time, but he had a few more before you came to Kahje." Rone returned his gaze to Thane. "This is the first he has had since the first day he saw you in the hospital, and together, you began to heal old wounds. I cannot swear the two things are connected, but it does seem to me they are."

Thane dropped his gaze to the table, throat spasming in uncertainty. He thought Jasmine and Kolyat knowing one another was a good thing, he _needed_ it to be a good thing. He loved them both dearly, it'd tear him apart if he'd hurt Kolyat by introducing Jasmine into his life. "I—I don't know what to say. What would you ask of me, Brother?"

 _Arashu, give me strength._

"I would ask nothing of you. I only thought you should know." Rone folded his hands together on the table when Thane met his gaze again. "He has endured many loses, and he knows you will not long be with us. Perhaps it is simply because Jasmine's leaving reminded him of this—reminded him of what he has already lost."

Thane shifted, leaning forward to rest his elbows on the table and clasp his hands. The thudding of his heart against his sternum beginning to ease, the fingers of dread gripping his throat loosening. "He will not lose me again; I will call as often as I can and visit from time to time. The doctors say I will need to return for more treatments in the future, but I will come more often, if I'm able." He hesitated, weighing the thought out in his mind before giving it voice. "If he desires and you are amendable to the idea, I am sure Jasmine would be willing to stay in contact with him as well. He needn't feel as if he's lost her, either."

Rone dropped his gaze to his hands, and the silence stretched for nearly a minute. Finally, he looked up again. "You said she would die herself before allowing harm to come to any child. You named her a siha." Rone hummed, holding Thane's gaze, unblinking. "I pray you have judged her accurately … perhaps, if she is willing … I believe Kolyat would greatly enjoy her continued company."

Smiling, Thane dipped his head to his brother, relief and hope spreading through him. "Indeed."

"It would please me to know more, if you care to speak of her." Rone waved a hand. "Of course, I would not ask you to betray her confidence, but perhaps there are some things you might share." He smiled, seeming to relax a little, too. "Tell me, Brother, about this human who has claimed your heart."

Thane chuckled, glancing back down the hall at Kolyat's closed bedroom door. "Jasmine is … brave and cunning, stubborn and forgiving, fierce and gentle. She is …" He touched his knuckles to his lips and took a deep breath, grabbing ahold of the memory before it carried him away. "... I'd been injured—stabbed while walking the Citadel at night, trying to clear my mind of my own nightmares and dark thoughts."

Rone let out something suspiciously close to a gasp. "Arashu be praised, you lived."

Thane took another deep breath, offering his brother a wry smile. "I didn't _want_ to live, and I very nearly died." He ignored Rone's hiss of disapproval. "As I lay dying, some of the drala'fa found me. One of my most trusted rushed to Jasmine for help, knowing I wouldn't want him to go to C-Sec. He brought her back to me while one of the other drala'fa, and asari child, attempted to stop the flow of blood. My mind slipped in and out of consciousness, my grasp on reality tenuous at best." He spread his hands before bringing them back together again. "I welcomed death, prayed for Kalahira to carry me across the sea, but Jasmine refused to allow it, even when I begged her to leave me be. It only angered her."

"I like to think of myself as a patient and understanding man," Rone said, cocking his head to the side, "but I must admit I believe I would have been angered, too."

"Indeed." Thane lowered his gaze, staring down the length of his arm. "My mind was very troubled that night, but I assure you, I'm overjoyed Kalahira didn't yet want me."

"I am curious to know what happened next." Rone dipped his head when Thane met his gaze again, encouraging Thane to continue.

"Jasmine stopped my bleeding and took me to the hanar. She stayed there with me, watching over me until I awoke. She didn't know who attacked me and worried they might come for me again. It was only a stranger, though—a man I stopped from doing harm to an asari in an alley. If not for the things haunting my mind that night, he never would've …." Thane waved his hand, refocusing his thoughts. "When the doctors and nurses fought to keep me in the hospital, she offered to return with me to my apartment and take care of me for a few days. They agreed, and she took me home. I didn't expect her to actually stay; I thought she made the offer only to placate the doctors, as a favor to me, but she insisted she intended to be there so long as I allowed."

He smiled, remembering his shock and fluster when he realized she meant to stay with him, and his hope it might mean she felt something more for him. "I would've managed without her there, but I couldn't tell her to leave, not when the idea of having her so close …. The next day I told her about Irikah's death, and she held me while I cried, shed her own tears as she shared in my grief. Then, I told her about the decision to leave Kolyat with you, told her I thought it safer for him." Letting out a bemused chuff of air as he shook his head. "She was _furious_ with me. She raised her voice, slammed her hands on the table, paced the floor like a caged animal. She questioned me, challenged my logic, and then she left, despite my wounded state. I thought I'd lost her forever; she wasn't yet mine to lose, but my heart already belonged to her. I wouldn't have ever told her otherwise."

Rone blinked and leaned closer to Thane, understanding filling his eyes. "She convinced you of the error of your ways; this is why you called me."

"Indeed." Thane nodded. "I felt so foolish and ashamed, ignorant and selfish. She wasn't gone long before I called you."

"She has my gratitude," Rone said, dipping his head.

"Mine as well. She returned later the same night and apologized for speaking to me as she did. I told her she had nothing to apologize for, she'd spoken the truth." Thane grinned. "She said, 'Of course I'm right. Never said I was wrong, it just wasn't my place to say it, and I didn't need to be so harsh.'"

Rone chuckled. "She has a soul of fire."

"Very much so." Thane smiled, pleased by Rone's responses. "When I told her I'd reached out to you, the joy in her eyes left me breathless."

* * *

Thane stood in the middle of his floor, stretching out the pleasant burn of well-worked muscles when his omni-tool vibrated against his wrist. Opening it, he grinned, seeing the call came from Jasmine. He accepted the call, letting his gaze roam over her, drinking in the curves and planes of her face like the first mouthfuls of fresh water after a long day surrounded by nothing but sea.

Rainforest eyes shining in the light, she smiled, settling back against her pillows. "Hi."

"Hello." He wished he could wrap his arms around her, pull her into him, taste her lips. "I didn't think I'd hear from you again so soon."

She shrugged, the opening of his shirt she wore slouching down off her shoulder, exposing a spanse of smooth skin, nearly glowing in the soft light. "The new guy isn't so bad. He's not intrusive, put me in my own apartment." She tilted her head to the side a little. "He's next door, though." Her gaze trailed over him as he settled into a chair, a familiar heat creeping into her eyes. She hummed, her voice taking on a sultry purr as she said, "You're not wearing a shirt."

He chuckled. "Indeed, you appear to have taken it with you. An honest mistake, I'm sure."

She grinned, lifting the hem of the shirt to hold it to her face, breathing deeply. "Mhmm. It still smells like you." Mischief twitched the corner of her lip. "I think I may have left something that smells like me."

Heat rushed to his frills, remembering the delicate, lace undergarment he'd found tucked away with his things. He coughed, a light, strangled sound that brought a devious snicker from Jasmine. "Indeed, you did."

She smirked, the twinkle in her eyes growing. "But you're not wearing it, are you?"

"No," he said with an exasperated huff, shaking his head, the heat burning his face. "I am not."

Her smile faded, the playful spark fading from her eyes, voice softening as she said, "I miss you already."

Letting out a soft sigh, he closed his eyes, allowing himself feel her touch through memory alone for just a second. "And I you, siha."

"It's morning there now, isn't it?"

"It is." He opened his eyes again. "I must leave soon for my treatment, but I have time to talk. In fact, there's something I wish to speak with you about."

She squirmed in her bed, sitting up a little higher, shoving the pillows behind her back. "What's up?"

"It would seem Kolyat is …" He hesitated, not really wanting to tell her of Kolyat's nightmares. He knew if she thought as Rone did, she would be miserable, tearing herself up with blame. "... he misses you as well. I will see him this evening, and I hoped to be able to tell him you will call him. I've already spoken to his uncle, and Rone will speak to his wife. I believe it will do him some good, if you are willing to keep in contact with him, call him from time to time."

Her eyebrows twitched, but her smile returned. "Sure, I'd love to."

"Thank you, this pleases me to hear." He leaned back in his chair, feeling certain he'd made the right decision by asking her to stay a part of his son's life. "So tell me, how are things with you? Your new handler, does he treat you fairly?"

"Yeah, he's been good so far." She snorted, smiling wider. "He did give me a month with you."

"Indeed." He grinned, finding her mood infectious. "I owe him my gratitude."

"He thinks I did the right thing when I killed Leon." She let out a weary sigh, but her smile held. "Maybe the only person in the whole organization who does."

Thane hummed. "Do you trust him?"

Pursing her lips, she shook her head. "Not yet."

"Indeed." He knew it'd be difficult for her to trust her new handler. Thane hoped the man proved worthy of her trust, and she'd learn to give it to him. Afterall, her handler would be responsible for her life.

She held a hand out, palm up and shrugged. "He did buy me dinner at _Le Bleu_."

Thane chuckled, teasing her when he asked, "Should I be concerned?"

Snorting, she shook her head. "I'm not his type."

He raised a brow ridge, sweeping his gaze over every bit of her the camera showed him. "Then he is blind."

She laughed, the sound filling his heart with joy. "He's not blind, just gay. Either way, I only want you."

"I'm yours, siha, for as long as you'll have me." His hand twitched, wanting desperately to run his fingers along her frill-less jaw and bury them in her hair.

"Good." She lifted her chin, smile smoothing the edges of the defiant gesture. "I don't plan on letting go of you anytime soon."

He laughed, raising his brow ridge again. "I hope you don't _plan_ on letting go of me at all."

"Indeed." She grinned and then yawned. "I need to get some sleep. I think I'll be getting my ass kicked early in the morning."

"I'm sure you won't make it easy." He smiled, dipping his head to her. "Goodnight, siha. I love you."

"Have a good day." She brought her hand to her mouth, kissing the tips of her fingers before turning her hand to him. "I love you, too."


	37. Adjustments

**Adjustments**

Isaac knocked on her door at way-too-fucking-early o'clock in the morning, gun case in hand, and told her to wear something giving her full range of motion. For a second, the briefest of moments, she thought about taking a swing at him and then going back to bed. If killing Leon hadn't been a career-ender, then surely punching her new handler in the nose wouldn't get her fired. Seriously, who was awake, dressed, and chipper when sane people were enjoying their deepest sleep cycles? In the end, she just narrowed her eyes at him and walked away from the door, letting him decide on whether or not to follow her inside. She took her time showering and getting dressed, and when she came out she found him waiting patiently on her couch, scrolling through something on his omni-tool.

He glanced up at her, then back at his omni-tool. "Forty-five minutes. I'll give you half as long tomorrow." He smiled at her when she huffed. "Not a morning person, Shepard?"

"Not especially, but I'm still a little jet-lagged, too." She yawned and stretched her arms out over her head to emphasize her point. "Have you eaten?"

"Yeah, but I'll take a cup of coffee if you bought any." He stood, following her to the kitchen. "Did you look over the information I sent you?"

She opened the cabinet and pulled out the bag of coffee she got while grocery shopping the night before. "Yep, new Phantom identification, safe-house locations—those would've been really nice to know about before—and new agency doctors on the Citadel."

"The safe-houses aren't Alliance, they're mine. I personally own and maintain them." He leaned his shoulder against the doorframe, crossing his arms and one ankle over the other. He found a way to make even training clothing look suave, complete with perfectly unscuffed sneakers, apparently brand new. "I extend the use of them to all Phantoms assigned to me."

"Why do I get the feeling the Alliance pays you _way_ more than they do me?" She measured out the coffee, glancing at him with a raised eyebrow.

Isaac smirked. "Because they do. But, not all of my income comes from the Alliance, either."

"Yeah?" She put the coffee away and took the carafe to the sink. "Do a little moonlighting?"

Laughing, he shook his head. "Investments. I come from old money."

"Uh huh." Turning on the water, she filled the pot, watching him from the corner of her eye, reassessing her new handler. They came from totally different backgrounds; even before her parents split and died, leaving her to the streets, they were a far cry from wealthy. What were the chances he'd understand anything about who she was? "What kind of investments?"

"Eezo, platinum, Synthetic Insights." He shrugged, as if being well-off and having money to spread around in investments didn't mean anything special. "A few other places."

She snorted, turning off the water and returning to the coffee maker to finish the task. "That's not vague and ominous or anything." She couldn't be mad at him for having more than her, wasn't his fault her childhood turned out like crap. Besides, the Alliance paid her well enough; she didn't have room to complain.

He laughed and pushed away from the wall. "I tell you what, you survive what I have in store for you today, and I'll send you a copy of my investment portfolio."

"Nope, not at all vague and ominous," she said, holding his gaze for a moment. "So … what are we doing today?" She started the coffee and turned to the refrigerator, opting for _risat_ and yogurt.

"Armax Arsenal Arena."

She pulled out a cutting board and a knife, setting to work slicing the _risat_. "The place across the way?" She glanced at him, seeing his gaze fixed on the melon. Pointing at it with her knife, she raised an eyebrow. "Want some?"

He tilted his head, moving a little closer to her and the counter. "What is it?"

" _Risat_. It's from Sur'Kesh." She speared a piece with the knife and held it out to him, waiting to see if the man so big on trust dared to close the distance, putting him within striking distance while she held a weapon, and take the offering. Did the symbolism even mean anything to him?

Plucking the _risat_ from the knife, Isaac met her gaze, the corner of his mouth twitching up in a knowing smile. He sniffed the fruit before putting it in his mouth, taking his time chewing. Humming his approval, he nodded his head at the cutting board, and she pulled down another plate. "Yeah, the place right across from us. You've never been there?"

"Nope." Satisfied for the moment, she turned her attention back to the task at hand, cutting up the rest of the fruit and sliding it from the cutting board and onto the plates. "It's a combat simulator, yeah? As in multiple, armed enemies on a simulated battlefield?"

"Exactly."

Glancing over her shoulder, she arched an eyebrow. "As in, not exactly something I'm trained for."

He grinned, turning to search through the cabinets when the coffee maker stopped. "It will be when I'm done with you." He pulled down two mugs and filled them with coffee. "You need to be able to adapt to any situation, it's something I've been telling the higher-ups for awhile now. We should be giving all of you a full range of training. They're not really listening, but for now, you're mine to train as I see fit."

"Should I be scared?" She dumped the prep dishes in the sink, and grabbed a spoon out of the drawer. Setting the yogurt container on her plate, she picked up both plates and nodded her head toward the dining room.

He laughed and shook his head, carrying the cups over to the table. "Nah. It's got different difficulty levels, and although if you get hit it'll feel real, you won't actually be injured. I scheduled us some private time, which is a part of why I have you up so early. We need to be there within the hour or we'll lose our slot."

"So no one but you will see me get my ass kicked?" She put the plates on the table and pulled out her chair.

Taking a drink of his coffee, he moved around to the other side. "That's the idea."

* * *

Watching Isaac as he input his login information, Jasmine's eyes widened when the nickname 'BioticBabe' popped up on the screen. Her brain stuttered before stalling out, leaving her completely without thought for a second. "BioticBabe?"

 _As in the complete idiot on_ 'Assassins Unveiled' _? No. Can't be._

He glanced over his shoulder and flashed her a smile before stepping away from the console. Holding out his hand, blue flames flared to life over his palm, and he cocked an eyebrow at her, letting the biotics fizzle away once more. "Don't hate." His smile widened as she stared at him, speechless. "What? You don't think I'm a 'babe?'"

She snorted, using the moment to compose herself. "Definitely." Moving to stand in front of the console he'd vacated, she used the login information he gave her for Ramona Salazar. "I've spent every night since we've met lamenting the fact you're gay because you're just such a babe." Grinning at his laugh, she stared at the flashing cursor, waiting for her to input her nickname.

 _What the hell? I can always create a new one for the website if I need to._

Jasmine sucked in a deep breath and typed in 'TellMeNow360'. Glancing at him out of the corner of her eye, she watched him for any sign of recognition. He tilted his head to the side, glancing between the screen and her, pursing his lips.

"I'll be damned." He leaned down and picked up his gun case. "Was that a little trust you just extended to me, Salazar?"

"Maybe," she said, picking up her rifle case, too.

"Aww, you do like me." He smirked and gave her a little shake of his head. "But I'm still gay."

She laughed, rolling her eyes and bumping the edge of her gun case against his leg. "Shut up."

"You're alright, Salazar." He gestured at a staircase in the middle of the room. "Ready for this?"

"I guess," she said with a one-shoulder shrug.

"Alright, so what we're going to do is start small. Six opponents without armor, but they'll have the same weapons we have." He started walking as he talked, gaze shifting back and forth from her to the staircase ahead of them. "For now, I want you to focus on taking them out without getting shot yourself. Later, I'll add point deductions for various things like being seen and being hit. I can add bonuses, too, for things like stealth kills and headshots. We won't be using live ammo, of course, but it won't be unlimited, either." Stopping just before they reached the stairs, he turned to face her fully. "There will be crates distributed throughout the field if you need more, but getting to them might leave you out in the open so take your shots wisely."

She hummed her acknowledgement and scraped her teeth over her lip as she thought. "Will my tactical cloak work?"

"It will," he said with a bob of his head.

Nodding, she took a deep breath. "Anything else I should know?"

"Mmm. Watch for the spawn points. When we first get in there, it'll just be us. When the simulator is about to introduce the opponents, you'll see these orange …" He shifted his weight back on one leg and waved a hand in circles. "... it almost looks like fire. The opponents will spawn from those points, but you'll have a few seconds to move away from them if you're too close. They'll come from a different location each round, but you'll always see where they're coming from before they show up."

Forcing a smile on her face, trying to prepare herself for getting her ass kicked, she jerked her head toward the stairs. "Alright, let's go."

Isaac led her past a barrier proclaiming 'athletes only' and down the stairs. Funny, she'd never considered herself an 'athlete'. He stopped at another console, the screen on the wall behind it showing a list of top scores. Someone using the name 'Arterius' held the highest slot with a score of four thousand and six. She'd heard the name before, assuming it was the same person, it looked like the Council's top Spectre was a fan of simulated combat.

Activating the console, Isaac began flipping through the screens, selecting the battleground, enemies, and other variables. "How lucky are you feeling?"

She scoffed. "Not especially … why?"

"We can get bonus points if we don't include Medi-gel," he said, not bothering to look at her.

Jasmine switched her gun case to her other hand and narrowed her eyes, staring at the back of the man's head. "I thought you said the injuries aren't going to be real?"

"They aren't, but I also said they'll _feel_ real." He glanced over his shoulder. "The Medi-gel isn't real, either, but if used, it'll stop the pain input."

"Yeah … let's save the torture for another day, shall we?" She smiled when he chuckled. "How does this pain input thing even work?"

"There's a stall in the next room—the VI will walk you through it." He pointed toward the door. "You'll attach sensors to yourself the simulator will use to track your movements and verify if you've been hit by an opponent's attack. The sensors will send electrical pulses through your nervous system, creating a pain response."

"Fantastic," she said, letting the sarcasm drip from her words.

He chuckled again, submitting the simulation parameters and turned toward the door off to the side. "Ready?"

She sighed, following in his footsteps. "Suppose so."

* * *

Jasmine hissed, gritting her teeth to keep from yelling as her shoulder exploded in pain. Reflexively, she slapped a hand over the wound and scurried back behind the low wall. When she pulled her hand away again, for half a second she was surprised to see her fingers weren't covered in blood. She sucked in a deep breath and glanced around the edge of the opening, finding the same turian who shot her advancing on her position, his pistol aimed low.

Pushing herself up to a crouch, she hurried along the wall, doing her best to keep her head down and ignore the throb in her shoulder. She reached the end and glanced around the edge, finding the way clear. She slipped around the corner and looked again, just in time to see the turian disappear behind the wall. Picking up the pace, she kept moving, going almost full circle until she popped up behind the turian, sticking the muzzle of her pistol against the back of his skull and pulled the trigger.

Another shot rang out and she spun around in time to see a batarian drop to the ground a couple of meters away. Across the faux, dystopian city street, Isaac reloaded his sniper rifle, meeting her gaze before disappearing in the shadows. A moment later a cooling rush swept over her shoulder, washing away the pain, and she knew he must've used the Medi-gel release. She activated her cloak, putting as much distance as possible between herself and the disintegrating corpses before the cloak dropped again. Catching sight of a fire escape ladder, she bolted forward, jumping and kicking off the wall, giving herself the lift she needed to grab the bottom rung and pull herself up.

Scrambling up the ladder, she found the perfect sniper's nest and bunkered down. Scanning the streets through her scope, she spotted another turian and a human taking cover behind a derelict skycar and grinned. She adjusted her scope, bringing the turian into better focus, lining up her shot. She took a breath, squeezing the trigger on the exhale, and the turian dropped. The human hopped up, his pistol swinging around, wild and startled as he tried to find her location. Backing away, he moved to an alleyway and tucked himself in against the wall. She followed him with her scope, taking her time, waiting for him to poke his head back out again.

The sound of shots being exchanged somewhere off to her right and toward the back of the arena let her know Isaac's position, but she kept her eye to her scope. A second later, the human peered around the edge, right into her crosshairs, and she took the shot. She waited just long enough to watch him drop before collapsing her rifle and rushing to the ladder, climbing down. As soon as her feet hit the ground, she activated her cloak again, and drawing her pistol, she took off toward the sound of gunfire.

She didn't make it far before her cloak dropped again, forcing her to take her time and stay close to cover. Isaac held back through all of the rounds, only taking shots when he needed to, and when he did take a shot, he didn't miss. So if it took him so long to take down the shooter, then either he'd been badly hurt—well, the sensors made him feel like he was hurt—or he meant to buy time for her to get into place; they were there for him to see her in action, after all. Either way, she needed to get them off his back.

Peering around a half collapsed building, she caught sight of a batarian and a human firing toward a dark alley. They stopped shooting and waited, their backs to cover. The batarian shifted his weight and a shot rang out, ripping through his shoulder, the lack of blood reminding Jasmine that he existed only as a really good hologram. Still, he yelled as if it hurt and pulled further back into cover.

She lifted her pistol, taking aim from cover, and shot the batarian in the side of the head. Stepping back fully behind the wall, she activated her cloak before crossing over to the next building and rushed down its length, ducking around the corner to wait. As she suspected, it only took a few moments before the human appeared, looking up and down the street. She smiled and took her shot, but he turned at the last second, and the bullet only grazed his cheek. He dove back into cover before firing down the length of the building; his haphazard shots tearing into the wall next to her.

"Shit." She peered around the corner, and he fired again. Her cloak finished recharging, she could activate it and run, but she wouldn't make it to the next nearest cover before it dropped again. She needed to buy herself some time to think, so she fired off a couple of shots in the general direction of the armorless, Blue Suns merc hologram.

Glancing around, she scraped her teeth over her lip when she saw the jagged edge of a broken wall. She took a step away from the wall, making sure to stay out of sight, and looked up, following the edge with her gaze all the way up to the roof.

 _I can make that._

She fired off a couple more shots, just to keep the merc preoccupied before holstering her pistol and mounting the wall. Hunching over, she used her hands and feet to grip the narrow, stone edge and started climbing. The stone dug and cut into her fingers and palms, but she pushed on, the incline low enough to allow her to move swiftly. Reaching the top, she pulled herself up onto the roof and rolled away from the edge. She took a moment to catch her breath and looked at her stinging hands, free of any actual scrapes.

She heard the merc moving down below, boots crunching over debris, and she pushed herself up to a crouch. Creeping her way over to the edge, she glanced down, finding he'd moved almost all the way down to her side of the building. Drawing her pistol again, she took a breath and steadied her shaking hand. The man stopped, pressing his back to the wall and peeked around the edge. He stepped away and out into the open, head swiveling side to side before turning in a circle. She took another breath and leveled her gun on the merc, pulling the trigger. He stumbled back, the bullet taking him in the meaty muscle of his shoulder. She fired again and again, making sure he went down and stayed down.

"Not bad."

Startled, she spun, pistol raised to meet the new threat. Isaac stood on the next roof over, leaning against a vent shaft. He smirked, and the simulation began to dissolve around them. She glanced down, lowering her weapon as the roof disappeared beneath her feet, leaving her standing on metal scaffolding.

* * *

Thane rang the buzzer and tucked his hands behind his back. Without Jasmine there to fill his days, he found himself becoming restless. Admittedly, part of those feelings came from being idle for so long. He missed work, having his mind and body engaged, his skills and limits tested. Being on Kahje, paying for his treatments and the rehabilitation center for the last few months used a large portion of his savings, as well. He looked forward to spending the evening with Kolyat, perhaps seeing his son might help to ease his mind and occupy his thoughts with something more productive.

A moment later, Kolyat answered the door, a smile on his face. "Hello, Father. Please, come in."

"Hello, Kolyat." Thane stepped inside and followed Kolyat down the hall. "Have you decided where you'd like to go for dinner?"

"I think I would like to try _The Low Tide_ , if you do not mind," Kolyat said glancing over his shoulder.

Thane dipped his head, smiling at his son. "Not at all, _The Low Tide_ sounds wonderful."

Kelena rounded the corner, coming out of the kitchen, drying her hands on a towel. "Hello, Thane. I hope you are well."

"Kelena, it is good to see you." He put a hand on her arm when she leaned into him, letting her press her cheek to his in an affectionate gesture. "I am well, thank you. I hope you are, too."

Stepping back again, she smiled and rested a hand on the light swell of her abdomen."I am. Rone is in his study, if you wish to say hello."

"Indeed, thank you." Thane dipped his head and pat Kolyat on the shoulder before making his way down the hall. He knocked on the closed study door and opened it when he heard Rone beckon him to enter. "Hello, Brother."

Rone turned in his chair and smiled. "Thane, I am pleased to see you." He stood and waved his hand at the other chair near the desk.

Thane sat down, and Rone returned to his seat. "I spoke to Jasmine this morning," Thane said, resting his hands on his thighs. "She's amenable to keeping in contact with Kolyat. I hope to speak with her again this evening while we're at dinner, but I wanted to give you the opportunity to voice any concerns in case you changed your mind."

Rone sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Of course I have concerns, but I can no more judge her for her profession than I judge you for yours. Even with that aside, she is mostly a stranger to me. I have nothing but your word to go on as to whether or not she is a safe person for Kolyat to know … but I must trust your judgement, you are his father and my brother. I do not believe you would knowingly endanger Kolyat or have him communicate with someone you had your own doubts about."

Thane opened his mouth to speak, a million reassurances dancing on the tip of his tongue—anything to ease Rone's mind, anything to let Thane just have something he so desperately wanted, but …. "Rone … if you don't want Kolyat to speak to Jasmine, I won't pretend it doesn't upset me, but I will respect your wishes."

"No, Brother," Rone said, shaking his head and looking at the floor. "I will not ask it of you. You love this woman, and Kolyat is fond of her. It is only right the two of them should know one another." He took a deep breath and met Thane's gaze. "I believe Irikah would have wanted it as well."

Thane lowered his gaze and swallowed, fighting back the wave of guilt washing over him. He wanted to believe Irikah would approve, but a part of him doubted she'd want yet another assassin in her child's life, regardless of what he felt for Jasmine. Especially when having one assassin in their lives led to her death and very nearly claimed Kolyat's life as well. He swallowed again and nodded. "Thank you, Brother. Kolyat's waiting for me, I should go."

"Enjoy your evening … and tell Jasmine I said 'hello.'" Rone stood when Thane did, walking him to the door.

Thane smiled and dipped his head. "I will, thank you."

Kolyat waited for Thane at the end of the hall, his hands tucked behind his back, staring off toward the living room. He turned, smiling as Thane approached. "I am ready, Father."

"As am I."

* * *

"Your uncle tells me you've been having bad dreams again." Thane glanced at Kolyat just in time to see the boy wince, and then he averted his gaze, looking at his plate to give his son a moment to collect himself.

"I wish he had not told you."

Lifting his brow ridges in surprise, Thane met Kolyat's gaze. "I'm your father, Kolyat. It's good I know these things."

"It will only make you worry, and there is nothing to worry about. I am fine." Kolyat pushed his food around on his plate. "I told Uncle Rone he does not need to be concerned, either."

"We love you; we only want to make sure you're happy." Thane sighed when Kolyat didn't respond. It pained him to know his son suffered, and he felt helpless with no idea of how to repair the damage done to Kolyat. "Your uncle thinks it might have something to do with Jasmine leaving Kahje."

Kolyat's lips twitched downward before flattening out. "Why should her leaving matter to me?"

The fact he posed it as a question said more to Thane than did his flat tone or the sentiment itself. Had Rone been there, he would've scolded Kolyat, believing the direct question a sign of disrespect and rudeness. Thane, on the other hand, found he actually prefered the more direct line of discussion. He'd grown tired of the evasiveness most of his people and the hanar used when conversing. Having Jasmine there, her blunt mannerisms and light-hearted teasing, eased the strain, freeing him to do the same—albeit to a lesser degree. He missed her. Already. Though she'd only left a couple of days before, he missed her and longed to see her again.

He smiled, hoping to encourage Kolyat to drop the wall Thane saw him building up around himself. "Because you enjoyed her company, and you miss her. Perhaps her leaving reminded you that I, too, will soon leave." He cleared his throat and shifted forward, lowering his voice. "I wonder if after your mother's death and the way I," he said, pausing to swallow before choking the rest of his statement out, "abandoned you … I wonder if a part of you fears everyone you care about will eventually do the same."

"I am fine, Father." Kolyat blinked, and Thane thought he saw a dampness to the boy's eyes.

"Very well, but I want you to know when I leave, it won't be forever. I will call you as often as I can, and I will return to Kahje to visit. You have my word." Thane reached across the table and squeezed the top of Kolyat's hand. "Would you like to call Jasmine? I've spoken with her and she'd very much like to be able to keep in contact with you. I already cleared it with your uncle."

Kolyat held his father's gaze, brow ridge creeping a little higher. "I—she wants to talk to me?"

"Indeed." Thane dipped his head, a hesitant smile taking root, tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Kolyat dropped his gaze to his plate, pushing his food around a little more before finally speaking again, "Then yes, I would like to call Jasmine."

Thane let the smile break free and spread across his face, shoulders relaxing as he let out a relieved sigh. "Let's finish eating first, and then we can call her before I take you home."

Kolyat's mood shifted dramatically throughout the rest of the meal. He began smiling more, and even laughed at something Thane said once or twice. He launched into a full-scale explanation of the laws and processes of thermodynamics, having discussed them in one of his classes earlier in the day. Thane listened intently, already familiar with many of the concepts Kolyat explained, but more than content to simply be there in the moment with his son, heart swelling with pride. He wished, more than anything just then, he'd been able to do more of exactly that very thing when Kolyat was younger. Still, by the time they'd finished their meal, Thane felt light and almost giddy from what he saw as hope for his future—something he'd completely abandoned before the day Jasmine walked into his life.

The restaurant wasn't particularly busy, so Thane decided to call Jasmine from there, and he moved to sit beside Kolyat. Opening his omni-tool, he typed in her contact information from memory and waited while the call connected. Disappointment flooded him when the screen flashed, declaring the call rejected, and he saw Kolyat's shoulders slump in his peripheral. "She might be at work and unable to answer the call, it doesn't mean—"

The vibration of a new message coming through cut him off mid-sentence. Glancing at the extranet address attached to the notification, he saw it was from Jasmine and opened the message. "Ah. She said she will call us back in just a few minutes."

Kolyat smiled, sitting up a little straighter again. "It is kind of her to let us know."

Thane chuckled. "Indeed. Would you like to order dessert while we wait?"

Grin widening, Kolyat activated the menu kiosk on the table and began browsing through the selections, spinning the bracelet Jasmine gave him around and around on his wrist. Eventually, he chose a light pastry covered in sweetened fruit, something _The Low Tide_ called 'Island Bliss'. Thane decided to order the same for himself, though he didn't know if he'd eat it all.

A moment later, Jasmine called. He opened the omni-tool, drinking in the sight of her face, a slow smile spreading across his own. She looked tired, but not unwell. The sheen of sweat drying on her skin and the manner of her dress told him she'd been physically active, perhaps exercising or training with her new handler as she implied when she called earlier that morning.

She grinned, her gaze slipping between Thane and Kolyat. "Hello, gentlemen."

Kolyat shifted in his chair, moving a little closer and leaning in toward Thane's omni-tool. "Hello, Jasmine. It is good to see you again. I hope you are well."

"Hey, it's good to see you, too. I'm doing good." She leaned forward, propping her elbow on the table in front of her and rested her chin in her palm. "How are things going for you?"

Kolyat seemed to relax, moving in a little closer until his shoulder pressed against Thane's. "I am well. Father and I just ate dinner, and now we are waiting for dessert."

She picked up a glass of water and drained half of it before turning her attention back to Kolyat. "Mmmm. What'd you order?"

"Island Bliss."

Jasmine's brows twitched and she glanced at Thane, the confusion clear on her face.

He smiled, letting out a soft chuckle and waved a dismissive hand. "Ah, it's a pastry with fruit. Island Bliss is what the restaurant named the dish."

"Nice. I've got a pint of mint chocolate chip ice cream calling my name. My favorite." She glanced off to the side, presumably towards the kitchen, before locking her gaze on Kolyat. "I convinced your dad try it, he seemed to like it."

"Indeed." Thane dipped his head, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth as he held the memories of that particular evening at bay. "It's quite good."

Kolyat shifted a little, drawing Thane's attention as he glanced between his father and Jasmine. "I am not familiar with ice cream."

"It's the best thing to come from Earth." She smirked, shrugging and tilting her head toward her shoulder. "Besides me, of course."

Kolyat laughed. "Uncle Drali said salsa was the best thing he tasted on Earth."

"Obviously he's never tried mint chocolate chip ice cream." She waggled her head side to side. "But yeah, salsa is pretty good, too."

"Perhaps someday I will get to visit Earth and try ice cream and salsa. You and Father could come, too."

She smiled, something about it ringing false to Thane, and he knew it meant she didn't think anything of the sort would ever happen. Admittedly, he had trouble imagining it himself, but it was a nice thought.

"And French fries. Real French fries." She sat back against her chair. "Hmmm. What else? Oh, spaghetti. Spaghetti with meatballs for sure. Hawaiian pizza. Beef with broccoli. I bet you'd like sushi."

"I have not heard of sushi." Kolyat sounded almost overwhelmed by the list. "Or any of those other things, for that matter."

She grinned and picked up her water glass again but didn't bring it to her lips. "There's different kinds of sushi, but basically it's raw fish or sometimes cooked crab—crab is a lot like the _ka'tira_ —with vegetables wrapped up inside of rice and seaweed." She took a drink and sat the glass back down.

Kolyat's eyes widened, and Thane suppressed a chuckle at the sheer look of shock on the boy's face. "I did not know anyone but the hanar ate fish raw."

"We don't always, or even usually, really." Shrugging, she shifted in her chair, bringing a foot up to rest on the seat and draped her arm over her knee. "It's pretty good, though. I mean, I don't think I'd want to just eat raw fish by itself—they call it sashimi—but it's good in sushi." She laughed. "Don't look so skeptical. At least try it if you get the chance."

"I've eaten sushi," Thane said, drawing her attention back to him. "There's a place which serves it on the Citadel."

"Ryuusei's, yeah. I've been there once or twice." She pursed her lips. "Hmmm. Might go there tonight, sounds good. What'd you think about it?"

"It was … interesting." He hadn't particularly cared for what he'd ordered, something called a spicy tuna roll, but he supposed other items on the menu might've been more appealing.

She snorted, lifting a brow. "Interesting good or interesting bad?"

"The kind I tried was a bit hotter than I prefer," he said with a shrug.

"Mmm. Yeah, some of them are." Pushing back a stray piece of hair escaped from her ponytail, she nodded. "Especially if you eat them with wasabi."

"Indeed." He remembered the green paste the waiter called 'wasabi'. It came on his plate along with thin slices of a root they called 'ginger', also carrying a certain heat. The waiter warned him to only use a small amount of wasabi with each piece, but even then, it was strong enough to almost completely cover the other flavors. So, he stopped using it, only to find the sushi itself carried more of a kick than he'd anticipated, despite the name. It didn't taste bad, he just felt he missed the subtler flavors the dish had to offer. "Perhaps I'll convince you to go there with me the next time I'm on the Citadel, and you can help me make a better choice."

"Sounds like a good plan." Jasmine smiled, holding his gaze for a moment before she cleared her throat and turned her attention back to Kolyat. "So, Kolyat, anything new and exciting happen since we last talked?"

Thane turned his head to look at his son. Kolyat took a deep breath and opened his mouth but stopped, gaze flicking to Thane before he shook his head. Thane suppressed the urge to lift his brow ridge and question Kolyat, clearly there was something the boy wanted to say but decided to hold back at the last moment. If he didn't want to talk about it, though, Thane wouldn't push him.

Jasmine, however, opted for an uncouth approach. "Uh huh. You sure about that? Seems like you're holding out on me, kid."

Kolyat let out a slight croak, his gaze shifting back to Thane again. Thane offered him a warm smile, hoping it appeared encouraging and supportive.

Resolve tightened Kolyat's features, and he turned his attention back to Jasmine, squaring his shoulders. "I almost got in a fight at school today."

Thane kept his face neutral, but inside, his mind was a flurry of activity. He quickly pushed aside the worst case scenarios, fears of Kolyat being in danger, and anger at the idea someone might've thought to strike his son. Instead he focused on the 'almost' and tried to take comfort in the understanding that children sometimes fought with one another. Blinking, he turned his gaze back to Jasmine.

Lifting her eyebrows in a slow, measured movement, she asked, "Yeah? What happened?"

"Raamel said he heard his parents talking, and his mother said she saw Father at the hotel where she works, holding a human in his arms as one would hold a lover."

Thane's breath caught in his throat and he grew very still. Shock flashed over Jasmine's face, eyes widening, lips parting. Neither of them spoke—a mistake which alerted Kolyat to something being amiss.

He looked back and forth between the two of them, brow furrowing as his gaze settled on Thane. Shaking his head, his voice was hoarse and barely above a whisper when he said, "I told him it is not true; you and Jasmine are only friends."

Jasmine recovered faster than Thane, her face smoothing out into a calm visage. "That's …." She trailed off when Kolyat looked at her again. "So what'd he say?"

"He became angry with me because I accused his mother of lying." Kolyat's gaze locked onto Thane when he let out a strangled cough. "Of course it is a lie. Right, Father?" His voice began to take on a panicked edge, volume growing a little louder.

"I …." Thane found himself at a complete loss. He wasn't prepared to address his relationship with Jasmine so soon, but what else could he do? He didn't want to tell his son a blatant lie. "Jasmine and I …."

Kolyat's head whipped back in Jasmine's direction. "Jasmine?" His voice cracked, stalling over her name before nearly screeching as he demanded, "Tell me it is a lie!"

She wrapped her arms around her knee, hugging her leg close to her chest. "Kolyat …."

"I see." Kolyat stood, his chair scraping loudly across the floor, not that it mattered, his frantic tone already drew the attention of almost everyone in the restaurant. He slipped the bracelet Jasmine gave him on his birthday from his wrist and tossed it on the table. Glancing at his father, fire burning in his eyes, he turned on his heel and started walking.

Thane stood. "Kolyat?" Heaving an almost painful sigh, he met Jasmine's gaze. "I'll call you later, siha. I'm sorry."

She shook her head, tears forming in her eyes. "Go, make things right with your son." She offered him a brief, sympathetic smile, and then the screen went black.

He picked up the bracelet, stuffing it into his pocket and rushed after Kolyat, tossing a credit chit down on the hostess' podium on his way out.


	38. Surprises

**Surprises**

"Kolyat, wait!" Thane broke into a jog, chasing after his son. Catching up, he reached out, grasping the boy's shoulder.

Kolyat spun around, shirking his father's hand off of him and glared at Thane. "When were you going to tell me you decided to _replace_ Mother?"

Thane stumbled back, the words knocking the wind out of him easier than a blow to his solar plexus. He gasped, his mouth working soundlessly for a moment. "I'm not—Jasmine's not replacing your mother."

"No? Then what do you call it?" Kolyat shook his head, pulling back further when Thane held a hand out to him. "Is she why you called Uncle Rone? Did you think because you replaced Mother you could try to be a real father again?"

Thane winced, his heart shattering inside his chest, razor sharp shards piercing his lungs. "Kolyat …." What could he say? Jasmine _was_ the reason he finally called Rone but not for the reasons Kolyat thought. He truly realized how wrong he'd been to abandon Kolyat, she helped him to see the truth, and he wanted to make amends—wanted to share in his son's life.

"Just leave me alone. I do not want to see you again." Kolyat turned his back on Thane and started walking again.

Thane rubbed at the empty hole in his chest where moments before his heart sat, feeling his dreams eek away with each step Kolyat took. He forced his feet to move, closing the distance Kolyat put between them. "Son, please, stop and talk to me. Allow me to explain."

Glancing over his shoulder, Kolyat sneered but kept walking. "I do not want to hear your explanations."

"I love her, Kolyat. I didn't plan to, but it doesn't change what I feel. Falling in love is not a crime." Thane knew the desperation in his voice wouldn't go unheard, but he prayed Kolyat understood his pleading to be the sign of the abundance of love he felt for everyone involved. He hoped some part of Kolyat knew he wouldn't—couldn't—feel so strongly, let alone express so much emotion if he didn't mean it with the entirety of his being. "It doesn't mean I love or miss your mother any less."

Kolyat flung his arms out to the sides, turning to face Thane even as he continued to walk backwards, as if he couldn't stand the thought of letting his father close any more of the distance separating them. "Then why would you do this to her?"

Thane knew they had the attention of everyone within earshot. They all kept their gaze politely averted, but he felt the weight of the judgement nonetheless. He sighed and gave his son a slow shake of his head, his voice soft and broken when he said, "She's gone, Kolyat. I wish it weren't so, but Irikah is gone to the sea, and she's not coming back."

Kolyat stopped in his tracks. The fury held his shoulders rigid for the space of three heartbeats before it abandoned him, and he deflated, nearly collapsing. Thane rushed forward, hands shooting out to grab his son's arms, keeping Kolyat on his feet.

Tears poured down Kolyat's face in thick streams. "Father, I—" A sob tore through his throat and he fell forward, burying his face in Thane's chest.

A dam burst inside of Thane, and his own tears broke free. He wrapped his arms around Kolyat, pulling his child—the only thing pure and good he brought into the universe—in closer and rested his face on the boy's head. After a moment of shared silence filled only with shaky breaths, sniffles, and the whispers of strangers surrounding them, Thane rubbed his hand along Kolyat's spine and said, "Jasmine can't replace your mother. No one can ever replace your mother. But she loves me and cares about you, she wants to be your friend, Kolyat. I hope you won't shut her out." Reflexively, he tightened his grip when Kolyat stiffened and started to pull away. "Be angry with me if you must, I understand, and it's nothing less than I deserve, but please don't hold her accountable for my failures."

Kolyat resisted, pulling himself free and taking a couple of steps back. He shook his head, defiance and pain swirling together behind his ocular scales. "I do not want to talk to Jasmine. I wish I never met her. I wish," he said, shaking his head again as fresh tears sprung up in his eyes, "you would just stay on Kahje. Stop running away from me." He rubbed at his eyes, lip lifting in a silent snarl, as if he hated the fact he was crying. "And I wish she would never come back."

"I'm not running from you, Kolyat." Thane took a chance and put a hand on Kolyat's shoulder, wanting nothing more than to stay connected to his son. "I won't try to make you talk to her if you don't want to, but I can't stay here, and that has nothing to do with Jasmine, either."

Kolyat shrugged off Thane's hand and took in a deep breath, meeting his father's gaze. "Then why?"

"I—we've talked about this, Kolyat." Thane hated himself just then. Not only for all the pain and suffering he'd caused Kolyat with Irikah's death and his abandonment, nor just for the pain he caused with his deceptions about Jasmine, but for being a man who lived a life that forced him to conceal himself from his son. "I can't give you the answers you want, not until you're older."

"How old?" The spark of defiance returned to Kolyat's eyes. "How much older do I need to be before you stop lying and keeping secrets from me?"

Thane sighed, defeat weighing heavily on him, a stole of shame around his shoulders. "I'm sorry, truly I am. I promise, when you're grown, I'll tell you everything."

And with that, Kolyat shut himself off, his underdeveloped battle sleep enveloping him, glazing over his eyes in a way any drell would recognize. "I want to go home now."

Pressing his lips into a tight line, Thane pulled the shroud of nothingness loosely around himself, an ephemeral barrier to keep his emotions safely at bay for the time being. He knew he'd pushed his son far enough for one night, and he didn't want to push any further. He dipped his head. "Very well."

* * *

Kolyat opened the door and walked inside, leaving Thane standing outside. The rest of the trip back home passed in complete silence, not a single word passing between the two of them. Kolyat never even glanced his father's way.

"Kolyat?" Kelena walked into sight, taking a few steps towards the hall before she glanced over and spotted Thane. Her brow lifted, and she made her way to the door. "Thane, please come inside. I hope …" She turned, glancing over her shoulder in the direction Kolyat disappeared. "... I hope dinner went well."

"Ah." Thane stepped inside, tugging at the edges of his jacket before tucking his hands behind his back. "Not as well as I anticipated."

"This saddens me to hear." She met his gaze again, sympathy in her eyes—sympathy he was almost entirely certain he didn't deserve. "I just put _cinuela_ on, I would love it if you would have a cup with us. Perhaps we can talk for awhile."

He smiled even though he felt numb and empty inside. "I would like that, thank you."

Reaching out, she squeezed his arm. "Please, make yourself at home. I will tell Rone you are here."

Thane dipped his head and followed her further inside, taking a seat on the couch as she made her way down the hall. Clasping his hands together, he propped his elbows on his knees and leaned forward, closing his eyes and pressing his mouth to his hands. A moment later, the sound of footsteps alerted him to Kelena and Rone's return. He opened his eyes and stood, meeting Rone's disappointed gaze.

Thane coughed into his fist. "I'm afraid Kolyat is upset with me. We should talk."

Rone waved his hand toward the dining room. Thane dipped his head and walked to the table, pulling out a chair and taking a seat. Rone sat with him, and Kelena went to the kitchen, the smell of _cinuela_ filling the air.

"Kolyat told Jasmine and I that someone at school mentioned to him that their mother saw Jasmine and I together … in a way suggesting we are more than friends." Thane glanced at the table as Kelena sat a cup of _cinuela_ down in front of him. "My thanks." He wrapped his hands around the warm cup and took a deep breath. "I didn't know what to say and neither did she. He asked if it was a lie … and I couldn't bring myself to say it wasn't true."

"Perhaps it is good he knows." Kelena sat down across from Thane, holding her cup near her face as she blew across the steaming surface.

Thane frowned and shook his head; nothing good came from the way things went. "He took off the bracelet she gave him and threw it on the table before walking out of the restaurant. Accused me of trying to replace Irikah. I told him those aren't my intentions, no one can ever replace Irikah … but he's still upset." He sighed, dropping his gaze to the cup in his hands. "I'm afraid I've only made things worse between us by trying to ease him into the idea of my loving someone else."

"I see, this is troubling news," Rone said, his grave voice drawing Thane's attention and making him wince inwardly.

"Not as much as you might think, my love." Kelena smiled at her husband, a one-sided, knowing smirk speaking of patience and wisdom. "I will speak with him," she said, turning her gaze to Thane. "I did not lose my father in the same way he lost his mother, but I know what it felt like for me when my mother met someone new. Perhaps I can offer him some reassurances."

"I—I didn't know …." Having already caused enough grief for one night, Thane sat his cup down and proceeded with caution. "My apologies, I hope I haven't made you uncomfortable."

She chuckled, a soft, delicate sound, and sipped her tea. "Not at all, I came to adore the man, and he became a wonderful husband to my mother. He raised me as if I were his own child, and he gave my mother two more children. I could never forget my own father, and as you said, no one could ever replace him, but I am pleased to have had the opportunity to have Anahan as a second father."

Thane raised a brow ridge, leaning in a little closer. "Indeed?"

She dipped her head.

"I would certainly appreciate your efforts." He relaxed, feeling some of the tension he'd been carrying with him ease, the muscles along his shoulders and back loosening as a spark of hope warmed him from within. "I love Jasmine. I don't know what our future holds, but I do hope to have one with her. Kolyat is my son, though, and it's important to me that I'm able to be a part of his life as much as possible."

* * *

"Sierra?"

Jasmine froze, glass of wine halfway to her mouth. She glanced up, seeing Isaac's gaze fixed firmly on something off to her left.

"Sierra?" The familiar voice came from a little closer.

Setting down the glass, Jasmine turned her head.

 _Nevas. Shit._

The asari stood two meters away, face full of shock and more than a hint of fear. She took a hesitant step closer, offering Jasmine a tremulous smile. Isaac stood, a charming smile and a wave inviting Nevas over as he pulled out a chair. Nevas' gaze flicked between Jasmine, Isaac, and the chair, her eyes as wide a startled deer.

Finally, Jasmine remembered how to breathe, sucking in a lungful of air and smiled. "Nevas." She slid out of her chair, catching the half step back the asari took when she did so. "It's good to see you."

Nevas glanced toward the door, and Jasmine knew if she didn't think of something fast, the asari was going to run for it. That might be disastrous. Ryuusei's was too busy, too upscale for them to cause a scene, and C-Sec would surely be called in if Jasmine tried to stop her from leaving. And Jasmine definitely couldn't let Nevas just walk away, not without some assurance the asari didn't plan to go straight to C-Sec herself.

"I'm surprised to see you here, I—I tried to find you on Illium, but you were gone." Jasmine lowered her gaze, turning her mouth down at the corners. She thought about Leon laying there on the balcony and willed tears into her eyes. "I didn't think I'd ever get the chance to tell you how sorry I am for everything that happened …."

Nevas took a step closer. "What _did_ happen?"

Making a point of looking around the crowded restaurant, Jasmine wiped the tears from her eyes and then glanced at the empty chair Isaac pulled out. "Do you want to sit with us? Give me a chance to explain?"

Nevas glanced at Isaac, and he smiled again, moving away from the chair and back to his own seat. Jasmine really, really, really wished Nevas hadn't shown up while she was with Isaac. The conversation she needed to have with the asari would be like walking through a minefield even without the added tension of having to do it in front of her new handler. Nevas glanced at the door again and then walked over to the table, tucking her skirt in as she sat down.

Jasmine willed a weak smile on her face and swallowed, acutely aware of the rapid throb of her pulse in her throat, and slipped back into her own chair. "Nevas, this is my friend, Ray."

"Hello." Nevas glanced his direction, her gaze not quite meeting him, as if she'd already dismissed him from her reality, the greeting a mere reflexive.

Isaac's eyebrow twitched—whether with offense or humor Jasmine didn't know—but still his voice came out smooth, dripping with his honeyed-tongue charm. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

Jasmine looked down at her lap, trying to put her thoughts in order as she spun a story that might possibly be able to explain why 'Sierra Stone' showed up at Nevas' front door, gun in hand, to kill her husband on the asari's balcony. And then, like a ghost whispering in her ear, she heard Leon's voice in the back of her head.

 _You know what to tell her, love. Don't complicate it, let her keep her truth and fill in the blanks. Adam Stone was a jealous husband, the two of you fought over the attention you were giving Nevas, things got ugly, and he snapped._

Clearing her throat a little, she kept her voice low. "Adam … our marriage was in trouble. Things had been going south for awhile, long before we moved to Illium." She tugged at the corner of her napkin and pulled it to her, fingers fretting over the cloth, channeling her anxiety into the motions of twisting it around and around in her hands. "We thought moving might help us to fix things, but we got a two bedroom so we could take things slow. It wasn't working, though." She shook her head, gaze flicking to Isaac who studied her as intently as Nevas. "Not really." Looking down at the napkin balled up in her fist, she took a deep breath and let the tears well up in her eyes again. "He was a jealous man, and the night of the gala, after we left you at your place, we got into a huge fight … over you."

Nevas gasped, sitting up a little straighter. "Over me?"

Jasmine gave the asari a half-hearted shrug. "Adam thought you and I were … he accused me of having an affair with you, or at least wanting to." She glanced away again, guiding herself through the motions of expressing embarrassment she didn't really feel. "To be honest, I don't really know what went on inside that man's head. He cheated on me once," she said, shoving a finger against her chest, ripe with indignation—definitely a feeling she didn't need to pretend at, "and after that, _he_ never trusted _me_." She scoffed and waved her hand before returning it to the napkin. "Anyway, after the gala, things just kept getting worse between us." Reaching up, she traced the faint scar over her temple, feeling the anger, the hurt and betrayal all over again. Her heart ached, writing in her chest. God damn it she hated Leon, she hated him so much for Illium. She hated him for making her kill him. She hated him for dying. "The night … the night Adam died, our fighting got … physical."

"He hit you? So that's why your face was so …." Nevas covered her mouth with her hand. "Goddess."

Jasmine rubbed her forehead, her hand trembling with the emotional battle raging inside of her. Normally she would fight to control her feelings, act out what she needed to convey, but she just felt so much … reality mixed in with her fiction, and damn it if it wasn't helping her to sell the tragedy. "He was coming to kill you. He beat me and then left me on the floor of our apartment, saying he'd be damned if he let you have me." She swallowed back a genuine sob and ran a knuckle under her eyes. "He got his gun, and the look in his eyes … I just knew. Oh God, Nevas, I'm so sorry. I tried to stop him from leaving, I swear, but he hit me so hard I blacked out." She sucked in a shuddering breath and met Nevas' gaze, using her eyes to plead with the woman for understanding. "I …."

Nevas made a shushing nose, reaching over to put a hand on Jasmine's arm and squeezed gently. "Sierra, you saved my life. You probably saved Saman's, too. Thank you."

Sniffling, Jasmine nodded her head. She didn't protest when Nevas scooted her chair closer, wrapping her arms around Jasmine's shoulders. Leaning into the embrace, Jasmine rested her forehead on Nevas, hiding her tear-stained face—Christ, she probably had mascara everywhere—from prying eyes. For one wild second, the urge to take it all back and tell Nevas the truth reared its head. Hell, she deserved it, didn't she? Jasmine damned near got the woman killed and made her complicit in a fucking massacre.

 _I'm sure Isaac would just_ love _that._

After a few deep, calming breaths, she leaned back and wiped her face before rubbing the tears—and black smudges—into her pant leg. She needed to suck it up, she had a job to do, a role to play and she needed to play it right. "So, what happened to you? You just disappeared. I thought with everything happening at RetCorp … I thought maybe someone else came after you, too."

"I found a way out of my contract with RetCorp, but I needed to leave right away." Nevas smiled, joy lighting up her face, and she put her hand back on Jasmine's arm. "I moved back home, to Thessia."

Jasmine smiled, truly happy to see the asari managed to make it to Thessia safely and found peace there. "That's wonderful."

"I heard about the thing with RetCorp on the news. Crazy," Isaac asked, drawing their attention to him. "Did they ever figure out what all of it was about?"

"No, not officially." Nevas shook her head. "I've heard rumors of it being done by someone RetCorp hurt with their contracts, but honestly, that could be just about anyone." Her eyes took on a haunted look as she glanced down at the table, and it made Jasmine kind of want to kick Isaac, even though she understood why he wanted to fish for more information. Nevas swallowed and looked back up, glancing between Isaac and Jasmine. "I was there when it all started. I'm lucky I got out of there alive … and then to have Adam …. I never want to go back to Illium for as long as I live."

"Can't say I blame you." Isaac offered Nevas an apologetic smile before his gaze drifted to Jasmine, then down to Nevas' hand on her arm. "How long will you be on the Citadel, if you don't mind my asking?"

"Unfortunately, I'm already booked on a ship out first thing in the morning." Nevas turned her attention back to Jasmine. "I'm so glad I ran into you, though. I think I needed this, needed to know what happened." She glanced to the side, and Jasmine followed her gaze, spotting a waiter moving toward them, his attention locked on Nevas.

"Ms. T'sera?" he said when he got within a meter of her. "Your order is ready. Will you be dining-in afterall? I can have it brought to your table."

"Oh, no." Nevas gave him a polite smile. "I'll just be a moment longer."

"Very well, you may pick it up at the counter whenever you're ready." He bowed at the waist.

"Thank you." Nevas watched him until he'd retreated back beyond the bar and turned her attention back to Jasmine. "I'm sorry, I would stay, but my sister is waiting for me. I promised her I'd bring dinner."

Jasmine shook her head. "No, it's okay. You don't need to apologize." She stood as Nevas pushed back her chair. "Go, be with family. I'm just happy to hear you're safe and don't hate me." Giving Nevas a wry smile, she held her arms out to the asari for a hug.

Nevas laughed and stepped into the embrace. "Of course not." Letting Jasmine go, Nevas ran her hands down Jasmine's arms before closing her fingers around Jasmine's and squeezed. "I'll call you soon, and we can put this ugliness behind us and catch up. It's been good to see you again, Sierra."

"You, too, Nevas." Jasmine watched as Nevas walked away, waving at the asari when she glanced back over her shoulder. She turned her attention back to Isaac as she took her seat.

He watched her, his face expressionless until she raised an eyebrow. Smirking, he shook his head. "You might want to go clean your face up, you look like hell."

Snorting, she swiped at her eyes. "Rude." She knew he was right, though. Standing back up, she glanced around the restaurant until she spotted the restrooms.

"Hey," he said, and she looked back down at him. "You handled that well."

"Thanks." She gave him a weak smile and then made her way to the restroom.

* * *

Jasmine rolled over in her bed with a groan and cracked an eye open. The harsh glare of her omni-tool pulsed with the next vibration against her wrist. Groaning again, she pushed herself up on the bed and turned on the lamp next to her bed. She opened her omni-tool and narrowed her blurry eyes at the unknown number flashing on the screen.

She pinched the bridge of her nose and then accepted the call, breath catching in her throat when Kolyat's face filled the screen. "Hey." A tentative smile crossed her face only to falter as his lips pressed tighter. "I'm glad you called."

He blinked but said nothing.

She hesitated a moment, licking her lips, and then dove in head first. "Did—Did you and your dad get the chance to talk about—"

Kolyat cut her off, intensity filling his face as his eyes narrowed and he leaned in toward the camera. "Why did you come to Kahje?"

Jaw flexing, she sucked in a slow breath, not at all liking his challenging tone. She calmed herself, keeping her voice level. "I wanted to see your dad. I missed him, and I wanted to see how his treatments were going."

Kolyat lifted his chin, almost as if he were looking down his nose at her. "You should know he still loves Mother, and he always will."

 _Okay, so this is how we're doing it. You're going to have to try a whole helluva lot harder than that, if you want to hurt my feelings, kid._

Shrugging, she let a soft smile spread her lips. "Of course."

Blinking, the muscles along his jaw jumped and twitched. "He said you cannot replace her."

His snotty tone reminded her a little of the kids back at school who teased her about her father leaving. She suspected it was the exact same tone the kids at school used to taunt him for years, too. She glanced at the clock on her bedside table. Damn it—way too early in the morning for drama, and Isaac would be knocking on her door in a half hour.

She sucked in a deep breath and held it for a second before letting it out slow. "Oh, Kolyat." She sighed and rubbed a hand over her face. "I don't want to _replace_ her."

He dropped his gaze, seeming to stare at the omni-tool itself. Letting the silence linger, he blinked his eyes before pushing his palm into first one eye then the other. "He said he loves you."

Jasmine thought he might be crying, but she couldn't tell for sure. Her chest tightened. "I love him, too."

He looked back up at her, and sure enough, wetness streaked his cheeks. "You are a human."

"I am. Does that make it harder for you?" She lifted her eyebrow a little, wishing she could reach through her omni-tool's screen to hug the kid. If he'd even let her, especially considering the conversation.

"You could find someone human to love." His eyes took on a pleading cast as he wiped at his face again.

 _Yep, today's going to be shitty._

She felt little, spiderweb cracks threatening to break her heart and destroy her composure completely. She licked her lips and swallowed. "Would you be happier if your father loved another drell instead?"

Shoulders slumping, he shook his head. "No."

She gave him a slow, understanding nod. "You don't want him to love anyone else but your mother."

Kolyat glanced over his shoulder. When he turned back to the screen, he didn't meet her gaze. "I have to go back to class."

She frowned, wondering if it meant he'd skipped out on class to call her or if he was on a break. "Okay."

"Goodbye, Jasmine." His gaze flicked up, meeting hers for just a second but long enough for her to see the ache and confusion.

"Bye, Kolyat." The words barely left her lips before her screen went dark.

She stared at her omni-tool for a moment, replaying the conversation in her head, trying to ferret out and make sense of Kolyat's thought processes. She knew it wouldn't be easy for him, she just didn't realize he'd take it so hard. Scraping her teeth over her lip, she threw off her covers and made her way to the bathroom, her bladder demanding she table her contemplation for the time being.

After using the toilet and washing her hands, she glanced in the mirror and groaned. Her hair looked like—well, it looked like she'd just crawled out of bed. Why did Kolyat have to call so damn early? She picked up her brush and set to taming her hair, wondering if she should call Thane to tell him about her conversation with Kolyat. She bit her lip and set down the brush, turning to lean against the counter. Opening her omni-tool again, she placed a call to Thane.

"Siha." A smile lit up his face the second their eyes met. "You're up early … or late?"

She smiled, wishing she could wrap her arms around his waist and rest her face on his chest. "Early. Even earlier than planned. I just got a less than pleasant wake up call from Kolyat."

His smile faltered and he moved to sit down at the table. "I see. Are you—is everything alright?"

"I'm okay." She pursed her lips. "He's not, but I'm not really sure how bad it is. How'd things go last night?"

Thane frowned, glancing down. "Not … not as well as I would've liked. What did he say?"

"Oh, basically just that you still love his mother, and I can't replace her." She blew out a breath heavy enough to make her hair flutter when he winced, and then she snorted. "Told me that I could find someone human to love."

Thane's brow ridges shot up. "I didn't realize our not being the same species mattered to him."

"I don't think it really does. I kinda got the impression he just wanted to sell me on the idea so you'd be single. I asked him if he'd be happier if you were with a drell instead, and he said no." She shrugged and fought back a yawn. "Kids aren't always very realistic."

"Indeed." He gave her a rueful smile. "I'm sorry, siha. I hope he didn't upset you."

She shrugged again. "Nothing I can't handle. I tried to make it clear that I understand you'll always love Irikah, and I'm not trying to replace her. I really didn't know what else to say." Glancing at the shower, she said, "Anyway, I can't stay on here long. Bossman will be knocking on my door soon."

Cocking his head to the side, he blinked. "Bossman?"

She smiled over his confusion and nodded. "Isaac. My new handler."

"Ah." He chuckled. "You haven't really spoken of him much, is he … to your liking?"

"Mmmm." She waggled her head side to side. "Well, he lost brownie points making me get up at four in the morning, but yeah he's alright. Oh! I almost forgot. Guess who I ran into last night?"

He lifted a brow ridge. "Must I guess?"

"You're no fun." She stuck her lower lip out in a pout, bringing a smile to his face. "Nevas saw me and Isaac at Ryuusei's."

His smile slowly faded, and his features becoming still. "That must've been ..."

"Awkward? Yeah, yeah it was awkward. It's alright though. She sat down with us, and I explained to her," Jasmine said, waving her hand, "that Adam was a crazed, jealous man who beat his wife and then went to kill the asari he thought she was having an affair with. I figured out what he planned to do, and I got there to stop him as soon as I could."

He seemed to relax a little, the light catching the emerald of his eyes as the moved back and forth, searching her face. "And did she accept this?"

"Yeah, she even thanked me for saving her life. And yours." Jasmine grinned and winked at him. "Well, Saman's. I suspect you'll be hearing from her soon, now the events of that night seem a little clearer to her and have been pushed to the forefront of her mind."

"Indeed." His smile returned, but his voice sounded hesitant when he asked, "Do you still wish for me to refrain from using the alias?"

She pursed her lips and shrugged. "It's your call. I just don't want the Alliance messing with you, ya know?"

"I'll be careful, siha." His smile shifted to a smirk. "As you might recall, I'm exceptionally good at my job."

"Uh huh." She lifted her eyebrows, pulling her chin down and in toward her chest a little, but smiled. "There you go getting all cocky again. One of these days, Krios, I'm gonna kick your ass."

He laughed, the sound sending shivers down her spine. He held her gaze for a moment, smile shifting to something softer. "I look forward to it. I love you, and I miss you."

"I love you and miss you, too." And she did. She woke up feeling a little lost without him next to her. It said something that she missed his presence. Just a year ago, she didn't trust her 'partners' enough to allow them into her home, forget falling asleep next to them; Thane changed everything. "I'll try to call you again this evening, see if you've made any headway with Kolyat."

"Indeed." He dipped his head. "Have a good day, Jasmine."

"You, too." She put her fingers to her lips and then turned them out to him. It eased some of the sudden loneliness creeping in around her when he did the same.

She cut the call and started the shower. Glancing at the time on her omni-tool again, she sent Isaac a message: ' _I'm up already and getting in the shower. I'll message you when I'm out.'_ And then, on second thought, she added: ' _Or just let yourself in and make me breakfast. You know, whatever.'_ She hit send, and then she stripped off her clothes and stepped under the hot water, letting out a contented groan.


	39. Making Progress

**Making Progress**

Jasmine wove her way through the crowds, eyes peeled for the yellow and black jacket she'd seen Isaac wearing earlier in the morning. Admittedly, she'd been skeptical when he first approached her with the new exercise—telling her to try to track and find him in the busy throngs of the Wards. She figured he'd stand out like a sore thumb dressed in such an eye catching ensemble, but damn it if she couldn't find the man to save her life. Still, she wasn't ready to admit defeat just yet. She stopped walking and turned a slow circle, letting herself shift into the state of hyper-awareness she'd learned long ago on the streets.

The scents of floral perfumes swirled around her in thick clouds, cut through with hints of gun oil, searing meat, and body odor. An asari fussed over her omni-tool, a deep scowl on her cyan face, blush pink markings dipping into creases along her brow. A young salarian man stood next to one of the Galactic News Network kiosks, rubbing his hand along his arm as he glanced around; a feminine voice reached her ears, recounting the death tally from an airborne virus on the Migrant Fleet a few months ago. She felt every person moving around her, the slightest brush of a woman's sleeve against her arm stood out as much as if the woman grabbed her instead. She scanned the crowd, her gaze snagging on every scrap of yellow cloth within sight, only to move on half a heartbeat later, her subconscious discarding it as the 'threat' she looked for.

"Excuse me, ma'am. Are you lost?" A turian, wearing the signature blue and black of C-Sec leaned against a store front a couple of meters away from her. The blue, holographic lens of the visor covering his left eye shifted, zeroing in on her when she met his gaze. "Do you need assistance?"

Jasmine bit her lip, Isaac didn't say anything about her not being able to ask for help. Opening her omni-tool, she took a couple of steps closer to the turian. She wasn't especially fond of C-Sec, most of those she'd dealt with were somber, inflexible, and highly suspicious by nature. Jaded by their time in law enforcement. But, at the very least, she could ask him if he'd seen Isaac. She waved the omni-tool in front of him, glancing down at the screen as his public profile popped up, verifying he was, in fact, C-Sec.

"Uh, yeah," she said, glancing at the screen again, matching up the face in front of her with the one on the screen. She closed her omni-tool, turning her attention fully on him. "Thanks, Officer Vakarian. I'm looking for a friend of mine. We got separated earlier …." Her words trailed off when he cocked a brow ridge at her, something telling her he already didn't trust a word she said.

Officer Vakarian opened his own omni-tool and scanned her. "Ramona Salazar. Alliance." He scanned whatever bullshit file the Phantoms put in place for her alias and then closed his omni-tool, tucking his hands behind his back and he straightened up, pushing off the wall. "Hmmm. Doesn't give a rank, never seen that before. How can I help you, Ms. Salazar?"

She snorted and shook her head. "Oh, come on. Don't get all …." She waved her hand at his stiff posture.

Flicking a mandible at her, he relaxed his stance—barely—letting his arms fall back to his sides. He watched her, seeming to keep his face carefully neutral as she moved a little closer to him.

Glancing around her again, she turned her attention back to him. "I got separated from a friend. He's about—What?" She cocked her head to the side when his brow ridge ticked again, the iris on his visor narrowing.

"I'm sorry?" He blinked twice and gave her a slight shake of his head.

She crossed her arms over her chest and dropped her weight to one hip. She'd spent enough time around turians to know when one thought her full of shit. "Why do you keep looking at me like that?"

Officer Vakarian cleared his throat and shifted a little, tucking his hands behind his back once more. "My apologies, ma'am. I've adjusted my targeting visor to pick up on shifts in the heart rates of people I'm interrogating. Yours keeps spiking when you say 'friend' and 'seperated.'"

Sucking in a slow breath, she pursed her lips. "Alright. Fine. I'm looking for my commanding officer. He told me to track him through the crowds. Training exercise sort of thing. And I've lost him." She shrugged. "I'm a sore loser. Help me find him?"

His mandibles fluttered, a smile starting to lift his mouth plates. She saw the struggle in his eyes as he tried to bring his expression back under control. A chuckle escaped his mouth before he cut it off, lifting a fist to his mouth and coughed.

She raised an eyebrow, jaw falling lax for a moment. "Are you seriously laughing at me?" The corner of her mouth raised in a one-sided smile. "I thought joining C-Sec required you to have your sense of humor surgically removed?"

He chuffed, mandibles fluttering again as a full smile spread over his plates. "I must've missed that day. We uh, we don't usually get involved with Alliance training procedures …."

She shifted a little, letting herself relax into the feel of the start of a rapport with the turian and scrunched her nose, waggling her head a little. "We're not your standard Alliance personnel, and this isn't a standard training procedure. It'd be … unofficial assistance. Just a nice turian helping someone out." She shrugged. "I won't tell if you don't."

"I see." Chuckling again, he lifted a finger, scratching at a patch of plate-less hide just under his jaw. "Can you describe him to me, maybe I've seen him."

Grinning, she held a hand up above her head, gauging Isaac's height. "He's about … just under two meters tall. Weighs probably eighty kilos. Dark brown skin and eyes, black hair … looks like he probably spends more time in front of the mirror than I do. He's wearing black slacks and a black shirt with a yellow and black jacket."

The C-Sec officer hummed, looking up to scan the crowd around them. He stopped, his gaze frozen, his visor seeming to focus in on someone in the masses. Chuffing, his mandibles fluttered as he looked back down at her. "Well, if I had to guess, I'd say he's that gentleman right over there watching us talk."

Turning she scanned the crowd, catching sight of yellow on black almost instantly. Trailing her eyes up Isaac's torso, she met his gaze, and he smiled, shaking his head at her. "Damn it."

"Hmm. Good news is, he looks more amused than angry."

"Yeah." She turned back to the turian with the blue colony face paint and held her hand out to him. "Thanks, Officer Vakarian."

He shook her hand, lifting a shoulder a little as he did so. "Unofficially, I prefer Garrus. 'Officer Vakarian' just makes me think of my father."

She nodded, a smile lifting the corners of her mouth again. "Garrus it is, then. You can call me Ramona. Thanks," she said, letting go of his hand and taking a few steps back, preparing to turn away, "I owe you one."

He smiled, flicking his mandibles and returned the nod before leaning back against the wall. She turned, making her way through the crowd to where she'd spotted Isaac. There were too many people milling about, and she lost sight of him, but she figured he'd be there waiting for her, ready to get on to her for getting help from someone else, C-Sec no less. When the crowd cleared again, she stopped in her tracks. Isaac was gone.

"Sonofabitch." Her shoulders slumped, and she looked around, catching no sight of him. Turning, she looked back through the crowd at Garrus. Even from the distance, she saw the tell tale signs of his laughter. He tilted his head off to her left, and she grinned, giving him a little wave before heading off in that direction.

* * *

Thane sat at the table with Kolyat while Rone and Kelena worked together to prepare dinner. Kolyat's laptop sat in front of him, a plethora of datapads spread out around the top of the table. Thane read off the list of words Kolyat's teacher wanted him to define for the evening's homework. It'd been three days since Jasmine called to say Kolyat reached out to her, trying to convince her to end her relationship with Thane, and he'd barely spoken to her since. Kolyat and he came to a sort of uneasy truce over Jasmine, in which Thane simply didn't speak to his son about the woman he loved, and Kolyat didn't try to convince Thane to leave her. He knew it wasn't what most would consider a healthy arrangement, but for the time being, it was all they had.

"Microcosm." Thane put the datapad down as Kolyat started to type. Granted his assistance was completely unnecessary, as unnecessary as his actually reading directly from the datapad, but he saw it as something … normal he could do with his son, and so he did. Picking up his glass of iced _elocol_ , he took a sip, setting it back down when the sound of the door buzzer drew his attention. He pushed out his chair and stood. "I'll answer the door," he said, glancing into the kitchen at Kelena.

"Thank you," she said, glancing over her shoulder with a smile.

He made his way down the hall and opened the door, smiling when he saw Drali. "Brother, it's good to see you." Stepping out of the way, he waved his hand. "Please, come in."

Drali grinned, stepping over the threshold and immediately threw his arm over Thane's shoulder. "I didn't know you'd be here!" He leaned in, whispering, "Good, perhaps dinner won't be quite so boring."

Thane chuckled, patting Drali's back as he closed the door behind them. Letting Drali keep his arm draped over his shoulder, he led the younger man back to the table where Kolyat waited.

"Uncle Drali!" Kolyat grinned, starting to close his laptop.

Thane shook his head, returning to his seat. "You must finish your homework whether or not Drali is here."

Kolyat groaned, but pushed the laptop lid back open. Drali laughed, moving behind the boy to wrap his arms around Kolyat and pressed a loud kiss to the side of the boy's face.

"Ugh!" Kolyat's face contorted with disgust, and he tried to shirk his uncle off of him, which only enticed Drali to plant more kisses over every part of Kolyat's face within reach.

Thane chuckled, watching the affectionate display, trying to imagine himself in Drali's position just then. He couldn't, though, see himself ever being so carefree and playful with his own son. A month or so ago, it would've brought him great sadness, but he'd come to understand he and Kolyat shared their own expressions of affection. As tense as things may be between them at times, they once again had a relationship, and it needn't be like the relationship Kolyat enjoyed with his aunts and uncles.

Kelena came out of the kitchen, carrying a glass of _elocol_ , and Drali stopped his game, letting go of Kolyat. "Drali, it would please us if you stayed for dinner."

"Of course he will stay, Aunt Kelena." Kolyat glanced at his aunt before shifting his gaze to Drali and lifting a brow ridge. "He always seems to show up just in time for dinner, and you always invite him to stay. It hardly seems like a coincidence."

Drali hissed at the boy, bumping Kolyat's shoulder with his hip. "Shush now, do your homework."

Kelena laughed, handing the glass to Drali. "Hardly a coincidence, indeed, Kolyat."

Drali flashed his teeth in a grin at Kelena, moving over to kiss her on the cheek in greeting. "Dinner sounds lovely. Thank you." He sat down next to Thane, and Kelena went back into the kitchen. "So," he said, turning to Thane, "how's Jasmine?"

"Ah." Thane glanced at Kolyat, finding the boy's brow furrowed, his gaze locked on to his laptop, seeming resolute in his refusal to acknowledge Jasmine's name.

"It appears I've said something wrong." Drali set his glass down, drawing Thane's attention back to him, and he raised a brow ridge.

"Kolyat … is not pleased with Jasmine right now." Thane turned out his palms before clasping his hands together. "Or me, for that matter."

Drali furrowed his brow. "Why, because she left?"

"Because I learned they are in love," Kolyat said, still not looking up from his schoolwork.

"Then you should be happy for your father," Drali said, lifting his brow ridges again when Kolyat looked up. "Many people aren't lucky enough to find one person to love in their lives, he has been blessed to find two."

Kolyat huffed, turning his attention back to his laptop, a scowl etched into his face.

"Kolyat?" Drali pressed, leaning further against the table, dipping his head down as if trying to catch the boy's gaze. "Irikah would be happy for Thane. She wouldn't want him to spend the rest of his life alone and without love."

"How would you know?" Kolyat's accusing gaze returned to his uncle, the sudden flare of fury in his blue eyes leaving Thane breathless. "You were not around anymore than Father was when she was alive!"

"Kolyat!" Rone's voice called from behind them, making both Drali and Thane glance over their shoulder. He stood in the kitchen doorway, a severe look on his face as he looked at his nephew.

"It's alright, Brother," Drali said, turning his attention back to Kolyat. "You're right, I wasn't, and do you know why?"

Kolyat stared at Rone, though, defiance and anger in his eyes. Rone sighed, leaving the kitchen completely to take a seat at the head of the table. He nodded his head toward Drali, and Kolyat dropped his gaze.

"No," he finally answered, shoulders slumping.

"Because my sister understood who I am in my heart, and she, of all people saw in me a need to be free—to explore and learn and grow outside of Kahje. Irikah encouraged me to leave and follow my own dreams. There was a time when she and I were quite close, and I knew her better than anyone else." Drali paused, his gaze flicking toward Thane but not quite meeting his gaze.

"I love Irikah, a part of me died with her, and I would give anything to have her alive and whole again, but that's not how things work, Kolyat." He rubbed a hand over his mouth and down his chin. "I returned to Kahje to help look after you, to honor her, but I will _never_ lock away what's in my heart simply because she's gone. To do so would dishonor her memory." He shook his head. "She wouldn't want it for me anymore than she'd want your father to spend the rest of his life alone, or for you to expect him to."

Thane's heart ached, it pained him to see his son so upset, but it also hurt to hear the deep loss in Drali's voice. He'd known Irikah and Drali were close when they were young, but he never imagined Irikah encouraged him in his wanderlust. He supposed it made sense, it certainly sounded like something Irikah would do. He thought, perhaps, Drali carried his own burden of blame for not being on Kahje when Irikah was killed.

Kolyat didn't say anything, nor did he look at anyone, instead he kept his gaze firmly fixed on the table in front of him.

After a moment, Thane cleared his throat. "Perhaps we've discussed this enough for now."

"Indeed," Rone said. "Kolyat, put your things away and set the table. You can finish your homework after dinner."

"Yes, Uncle." Kolyat stood, closing his laptop and started gathering the datapads.

"Allow me," Thane said, taking the datapads from Kolyat and picking up the rest.

"Thank you, Father." Kolyat glanced up, barely meeting Thane's gaze before he turned and started toward his bedroom.

Thane followed him down the hall and into the bedroom, carefully laying the datapads down on the desk next to where he put his laptop. Thane started to turn to leave the room but stopped when he felt something tug at his sleeve. Glancing down, he saw Kolyat's fingers wrapped around his cuff, and he met his son's gaze.

"Do you … I am curious to know your thoughts on what Uncle Drali has said." Kolyat let go of Thane's sleeve and tucked his hands behind his back.

Taking a deep breath, Thane waved at Kolyat's bed. "Sit with me?"

Kolyat dipped his head and sat down, watching his father expectantly. Flipping out the tails of his jacket to avoid sitting on them, Thane sat and then folded his hands in his lap. He took a moment, glancing around Kolyat's bedroom, taking in the remnants of their life with Irikah while he gathered his thoughts.

After a moment, Thane said, "Objectively, considering the woman your mother was and the values she carried … yes, I believe your uncle is right. I don't think she would want me to cling to her memory, use her as a reason to keep all others at bay—although this is exactly what I did for many years."

Kolyat stayed quiet for a moment, seeming to ponder what Thane said. After a moment, he met Thane's gaze, brow ridge lifting in question. "You said 'objectively.'"

"Indeed." Thane dipped his head. "Subjectively, I don't know with certainty. A part of me feels your mother must hate me for all I have done, for not being there to protect her when those men came to our home … for not staying by your side to raise you."

"Mother never hated you." Kolyat shook his head. "She loved you, and she missed you. She did not like that you were gone all the time, but she said she accepted it because it was your choice and not someone else's. She believed you loved us and would always find your way back to us."

Thane smiled, though he felt more like shedding tears. He never should have stayed gone so long, should have found his way back to them sooner. Maybe then Irikah would still be alive. Then again, he'd never have met Jasmine …. The thought felt like a vice wrapping itself around his chest and squeezing the breath right out of his lungs.

He cleared his throat, forcing his breathing to remain stable despite the momentary pain. "Your mother was a very kind woman, she gave me far more than I deserved."

"I do not understand what you mean," Kolyat said, brow pulled in as he shook his head.

"Ah." Thane smiled again, the expression coming more naturally as he twisted to rest his hand on Kolyat's shoulder. "Perhaps you will someday, when you fall in love."

The skeptical look on Kolyat's face nearly made Thane laugh. The boy shifted on the bed, facing him a little more squarely. "Does Jasmine give you more than you deserve?"

Thane chuckled, dipping his head. "Yes, I suppose she does."

* * *

Jasmine leaned against the wall, hands on her bent knees while she caught her breath. Sweat dripped down her face—down her _everything_ —and she lifted her arm to wipe it away. Isaac handed her a bottle of water before leaning against the wall next to her. She smiled, glad to see him sweating as much as she did, and she straightened herself to open the bottle, downing half of it in one gulp.

He drained his bottle and recapped it, pulling the towel off from around his neck and ran it over his face and head before tossing it to the floor against the wall. Setting his empty bottle down, he looked over at her. "Alright, let's get back out there."

She groaned, taking another drink of her water before closing it and setting it on the floor. Picking up her towel, she wiped her face off again and dropped it back where it was. Nodding, she jogged back over to the mats and fell into a defensive stance. Isaac moved out after her, coming in fast and hard with a flurry of punches and palm strikes she could barely keep up with.

It amazed her that even though he and Leon must've received the same training, they'd both adopted completely different styles, both using techniques better suited for their size and stature. Both infuriatingly more than able to kick her ass. Anytime she'd block, he'd counter, any time she'd counter, he'd block, and yet, she successfully blocked and countered far less than he did. He danced around her, never staying in one place for more than a second or two before moving, staying in constant motion, forcing her to do the same.

"We've got an audience," he said, throwing a punch at her face.

She dodged the blow, but didn't take the bait, keeping him in her sights. "Yeah?"

"Group gathered by the door." He shifted, circling to her right.

She followed, keeping him in front of her until they'd completely switched positions on the mat, giving her a glimpse of the doorway without having to take her eyes from Isaac. "Denver and his crew, probably came to play ball."

He smiled, moving in with two quick jabs to her sides before dancing back again. "You ever play with them?"

She nodded once, lunging forward to feint with a punch, only to land a kick to his thigh. "Sometimes."

Grinning at her victory, he chuckled and lifted a brow. "Yeah, you up for a game?"

She smiled, lifting her shoulder, using the motion as a distraction as she sent her other fist flying toward his ribs. "Sure."

He swatted her hand away before it made contact and then hopped back away from her, dropping his stance completely. "Let's see if they want a couple extra players, then."

Jasmine relaxed and nodded, stretching out her arms. With the two of them separated on the mat and no longer sparring, Denver and the others filed into the open gym. Denver and Cornerstone made straight for Jasmine, Cornerstone bouncing the basketball every couple of steps, while the others moved on to the court. They stopped in front of her, snapping her quick salutes.

Isaac cocked an eyebrow, glancing between them and her. "Salazar, why are you making these nice men salute you?"

She snorted, pulling her leg up behind her, holding her ankle against her backside. "The better question is how do I make them stop?"

Isaac laughed and both Denver and Cornerstone grinned at her. She'd given up on trying to convince them to stop saluting her long ago. Half of the marines at the training facility refused to until they knew her rank, and since she couldn't give them a rank, they kept right on saluting. The way they figured it, with a classified rank, she must be too important _not_ to salute. Which was entirely untrue but also the point, after all, with her alias not being assigned a rank; it gave her maneuverability within the Alliance.

"Glad to have you back." Denver held his hand out to her, and she slapped her palm against his, turning her hand easily as he shifted the gesture from a handshake to something more akin to arm wrestling, and they both gave a little pull. His gaze flicked to Isaac, and he dropped Jasmine's hand before extending his to Isaac. "Service Chief Mark Denver." He jerked his head toward Cornerstone as Isaac shook his hand. "This is Gunnery Chief Daniel Cornerstone."

"Raymond Johnson, classified," Isaac said, switching to shake hands with Cornerstone.

"My CO," Jasmine offered, giving a little clarity to the curious look she saw in Denver's eyes, hoping the little tidbit of information didn't ruffle Isaac's feathers. So far, not much of anything she said or did seemed to, not even involving C-Sec in their little game of cat and mouse.

Both men immediately saluted Isaac, and she didn't even try to hide her shit-eating grin.

"We are in the middle of a gym." He laughed, shaking his head. "None of us are in uniform. Stop saluting me. Consider it an order, if you need to." Isaac glanced at Jasmine, gesturing toward her as he added, "And stop saluting her, too."

They both knew he couldn't actually give anyone outside of the Phantoms orders, but who was she to argue?

"Sir, yes, sir," Cornerstone and Denver said in unison.

"Good." Isaac gave a sharp nod of his head, as if doing so finalized everything. "Now, you two going to invite us to play some ball or what?"

Cornerstone tossed the basketball to Isaac when he held out his hand. Isaac ginned, dribbling the ball as he jogged out onto the court. Cornerstone followed him, leaving Denver with Jasmine.

She nodded her head toward the court and started walking. "Sorry I didn't get to say goodbye in person."

"No worries." He waved a dismissive hand. "How long are you going to be around for?"

"I'm not entirely sure." She looked at Isaac, shaking hands with the others, the ball held between his arm and ribs. "A few weeks at most, I think."

"Damn, they keep you moving all over the place, don't they?"

She scoffed and shook her head, glancing back at the marine walking next to her. "You have no idea."

They met up with the others just in time for Cornerstone to finish making the introductions. Jasmine recognized all of the faces, even if she couldn't remember all of the names. She smiled and lifted a hand at the two other women in the group—Gunnery Chief Sarah Patel and the other woman who she thought was Operations Chief Melissa Ekhart. They broke into teams, and the game started.

* * *

Freshly showered, Jasmine sat down on her couch, laptop on the table in front of her. She opened the encrypted report Theodus sent her and began reviewing the emails and other bits of information she'd found on Cerberus for what had to be at least the fifteenth time. She'd spent hours poring over those same pieces of intel, and it still didn't have her anywhere closer to understanding what exactly Cerberus did, or why the Alliance worked to keep it hidden. She needed to find another source of information, something discreet, and from someone she could trust. Someone she wouldn't get into trouble by dragging them into her mess. But who?

She sighed, pulling the computer to her lap as she leaned back against the cushions. Fingers resting motionless on the keys, she stared at the screen. There were always information brokers, but she'd hardly file them under the 'trust' category. Maybe she should ask Isaac if he knew anything? Ha. No. That would be a class A idiotic move. For all she really knew about her new handler, he could be a part of whatever it was Leon talked about in his confession vid. Even if he wasn't, chances were he wouldn't be too happy to learn she'd been sticking her nose in places it shouldn't be. He might even report her to his superiors.

She could ask Ares, but he really didn't need attention brought to him anymore than she did. Hell, she really should message him or something either way. She hadn't spoken to him or even been on ' _Assassins Unveiled'_ since before her arrest. Isaac did say he wanted her to establish her own contacts. Who better than another assassin? She should really go back over the posts made by ' _BioticBabe'_ , too. Even if it was just an online persona, it might give her some insight into her new handler, the man behind the screen name.

She bit her lip, knowing she was just letting herself get distracted. It wasn't like she was making any progress, though, either. So, she'd just send Ares a quick message, then back to racking her brain trying to think of a way to find answers. She'd look over Isaac's posting habits later. Splitting her screen, she logged into ' _Assassins Unveiled'_ and went into her inbox. Her eyebrows twitched, finding a few messages already waited for her.

The oldest came from Ares himself, dated three months ago. It read simply, " _I'm headed back to the Citadel. I'll be there tomorrow night. Meet me at Chora's, if you're still around?"_

She clicked on reply and wrote, " _Sorry, I was … in a bit of trouble. Didn't have access to my omni-tool or the extranet. Message me, personally, when you get this?"_

The next message, surprisingly, carried Thane's username, ' _WhatIsThePointOfThis'_. Her brow furrowed as she looked at the date, just a few weeks before the end of her sentence. She clicked on the message, and it read, " _I don't know when, or even if, you'll ever read this. I suppose it's foolish to even send you a message here, but I find myself revisiting this extranet site in your absence, just to read the words written by your hand. I can recall each letter as easily as anything else, but it soothes me, somehow, seeing them in front of me and knowing they are real. I miss you, siha, and I eagerly await the day you find me again. I must believe you will find me again."_

Heart warming as she thought about how much she must mean to him—how much he meant to her, she grinned and responded to the message, " _I will always find you. If you ever start to doubt that, come read this again. I love you, and I will find you."_

The last message came from Isaac, just a couple of days before. He must've had the same idea she did, going back and reading over her old posts to get a better feel for her. She opened the message and read, " _Damn, you're really kind of mean to me on here, aren't you?"_

" _And I'll keep being mean to you on here so long as 'BioticBabe' continues to be an illiterate shit-talker. Gotta keep up appearances!"_ she responded.

She logged out of ' _Assassins Unveiled'_ with a sigh, and opened a new browsing page. She typed in 'pro-human groups'. Since searching for 'Cerberus' didn't give her anything other than ancient mythology, maybe broadening the search might help. It didn't surprise her for Terra Firma to pop up first in the search. They'd been in the news several times over the years; the first she remembered hearing about them happened while she was still in basic. Some big scandal involving the leader of the group led to them holding an election for her replacement. They hit the news again a few months later when one of the candidates, the man ahead in the polls, died. There were a lot of rumors and speculation revolving around his death for quite some time.

The last she heard about Terra Firma, they opened a petition to have xenolinguistics and xenobiology classes removed from school curriculum. How, exactly, they thought such actions would keep humanity strong, she didn't know. Even if humanity _was_ stronger standing alone—which she didn't believe to be the case—keeping the people ignorant of the other species couldn't be anything but a weakness in Jasmine's eyes. Still, Terra Firma didn't really hold to the idea of secrecy. She doubted Cerberus was a part of Terra Firma, but it didn't really hurt to look when she was so desperate for answers. She clicked on the link for the organization's homepage.

After an hour of reading through pages after pages of bullshit propaganda just shy of being blatant xenophobic rhetoric, something finally stood out: a reference to an attack on the _SSV Geneva_ in 2165 where a group named Cerberus received blame. Her breath caught in her throat, and she rushed to keep reading, but it was the only mention to Cerberus she found. It was something, though.

She went back to her original search and typed in 'attack on the _SSV Geneva_ in 2165'. If Cerberus made the news, it shouldn't be so difficult to locate something on them. Whoever they were, though, they seemed well equipped at clearing the extranet of mentions of their name. They missed one, though, and with a little luck, they missed others.

* * *

Thane set down on the edge of his bed and opened his omni-tool. He sent a message to Jasmine, asking if it was a good time to call before wiping it from his account. Her response came a moment later when his omni-tool vibrated, announcing an incoming call. Smiling, he accepted the call, leaning back against his pillows. "Hello, siha. How are things?"

"I found something on Cerberus," she blurted out, eyes wide and filled with excitement.

"Oh?" Cerberus didn't make the list of topics he'd hoped to discuss with her before bed, but he was happy to speak with her either way.

"Yeah, so, I found mention of them on the Terra Firma site. Apparently, back in 2165, they attacked the _SSV Geneva_ , trying to get their hands on antimatter." She scooted to the edge of her couch, appearing to have called him from her laptop in her living room. Waving her hands as she spoke, her speech came rapidly, almost frantic in her enthusiasm. "So, I searched for articles about the _SSV Geneva_ thinking I might find more on Cerberus. But I couldn't. Yeah, there were articles about the _Geneva_ and about the attack, but every mention of who attacked the ship was scrubbed clean." She waved her hand through the air, seeming to dismiss her line of thought.

"I kept digging, though, and I found another mention of Cerberus on the Asari Republics News Network." Her head bobbed from side to side. "Well, sort of, in 2169 an asari escaped a facility, hiding in the cargo hold of a ship to get off planet. They drugged her out of her mind, and by the time she got back to Thessia, she couldn't tell anyone what really happened to her of where she'd been." She licked her lips, leaning in a little closer, and raised her eyebrows. "After years of therapy, she finally revealed her captors to be humans, and she said she heard them refer to someone named 'the Illusive Man.'"

"The man Leon warned his father about." Thane mulled over the information she bombarded him with, trying to understand why Cerberus might abduct an asari, or even what they might want with antimatter, though that covered a wider range of possibilities.

"Exactly." She nodded, a one-sided smile spreading over her lips. "The people who held her were testing some sort of biotic suppressant on her and other asari in the facility. She described seeing a symbol on the walls … here, I'll send you a copy of the image." She leaned in, her gaze leaving his as her hands ran over her keyboard. "There," she said, looking back up. "I did a search on the symbol, and I found a site—no name, just a picture of the symbol, rotating on the screen. I clicked on it, and it asked for a code. I'm pretty sure I can hack into it, but I'm hesitant to do it from anything which could be traced back to me or the Alliance in any way. Tomorrow, after Isaac's done with me, I think I'm going to head to one of the extranet cafés."

Unease tightened the muscles along his spine. He didn't want to doubt her, but it felt like she might be getting in over her head, and he couldn't handle it if he lost her again. "Perhaps you should ask Theodus instead. He excels at these things, and it won't be traced to you."

She frowned, her shoulders folding in on themselves as she tucked her forearms in against her waist, trapping them between her abdomen and her thighs. "I don't really want to risk getting anyone else in trouble."

"I understand your hesitancy, but I assure you, he's the better choice for this than an extranet café. He knows how to avoid detection." Thane tilted his head, desperately wishing they were having the conversation in person where he might better be able to sway her through touch, taking her hands in his or perhaps brushing his knuckles along her cheek. "Please, siha, I worry about you. I know you're more than capable of taking care of yourself, but I will always be concerned for your safety, and these people sound dangerous."

She sucked in a deep breath and blew it out again, sending her hair fluttering around her face. "Alright. I'll call him." She watched him for a moment, seeming deflated until a slow smile spread across her face. "I found your message on ' _Assassins Unveiled.'_ "

He smiled, pleased she'd agreed to do as he asked and more than happy to change the subject. "Ah, yes. I confess it helped me to feel a little closer to you while you were gone. I … I hated not knowing where you were or what happened to you."

She reached out, the tips of her fingers coming toward the camera and then disappearing from view, leaving him to think she traced the image of his face on her screen. "Those were some of the longest, hardest months of my life. I missed you so much." Dropping her hand, she tucked her arm back into her lap. "I miss you now."

"And I you." He studied her face, taking in the darkening of the skin beneath her eyes and wondered if she was getting enough sleep. "Aside from tracking Cerberus and your training, are you well?"

"Yeah. I'm good." She shrugged, the corner of her mouth turning down a hair as she sat back against the couch. "Just wishing you were here. How about you? How are things going?"

"I had dinner with Kolyat tonight at his house," Thane said, still taking in the details of her face as he spoke. His hands remembered of their own accord, what it felt like to trace the path of muscle and tendon along her neck and shoulder, feeling her skin beneath his fingertips. He blinked, gently nudging away the memories before they consumed him. "Drali showed up—apparently it's something he does frequently around dinner time—it was good to see him. He, ah—he said some things to Kolyat that I think might have helped to warm him to the reality of our relationship. Kolyat and I talked afterwards, and he seems to be coming around to the idea. I suppose time will tell."

"That's a relief." She leaned forward again, restlessness made obvious with her constant movements as she braced one of her elbows on her knee and held her chin in her palm.

He wondered if she might be struggling with something more, cravings for red sand, perhaps. The night she'd shown up at his door, after running from him in the warehouse where she'd killed a red sand dealer, she'd looked just as exhausted. It was as if she couldn't sit still, couldn't focus her mind. Red sand would be easy for her to find on the Citadel, if she decided to go looking. Of all the battles he might be able to fight for her, though, addiction wasn't one. He'd always be there for her to talk to if she needed someone to listen, and she knew as much.

"Indeed." He nodded, reaching behind him to support his head on his forearm. "And I believe I only have another two weeks at most before my doctor discharges me from the rehabilitation center."

The news brought a smile to her face and a spark of something else to her eyes. "You going to stick around a little while after you're released?"

"Perhaps for a few days but nothing more. I've been away from work for too long, I feel restless, almost lost with nothing to do. No way to apply my skills." He smiled, watching her rainforest eyes as her gaze traveled over him, hungry and appraising. "And I have an assassin to track down, give her another chance to 'kick my ass.'"

She stuck the tip of her smallest finger in her mouth, trapping it between her teeth and let out a wistful sigh. Even though she was lightyears away, and the image he saw before him was nothing but a representation of the woman he loved, he felt his frills heat with the way she looked at him, devouring him with her eyes. Perhaps it wasn't her addiction to narcotics she struggled with, but her longing for him. It pleased him to think she might miss his touch as much as he missed hers.

Grinning, she pulled her finger from her mouth. "She might have other things in mind, first."

His fingers closed into a fist, remembering the feel of her hair sliding between his fingers, using his hold to angle her head, exposing her throat to his tongue and teeth. "Indeed," he said, the increased rasp to his voice not lost on his ears. "I hoped she might."

She scraped her teeth over her lip. "You're in bed."

He let out a soft chuckle, curious as to where her statement of the obvious lead. Knowing the spark of mischief in her eyes meant she'd likely try to get an embarrassed reaction from him, he braced himself for her to say something bawdy. "I am."

"Are you … how did you put it?" She hummed, her gaze drifting over what little of him that her eyes could see. "Going to make love to me tonight and fall asleep with me in your arms?"

The words themselves, words he'd spoken to her before, didn't fuel the heat he felt in his frills, but the sultry tone of her voice as she said them certainly did. He swallowed, feeling his arousal spread. He doubted he'd be able to keep himself from indulging in those memories after speaking with her, even if he wanted to, which he most certainly did not. "Perhaps."

"Mmm. I envy you and your perfect memories." She sighed again, leaning back against the cushion. Running her fingers along the collar of her shirt, she smiled. "I guess I'll just have to make due with my inadequate human memories," she said, undoing the top button before moving down to the next. "Unless I can convince you to show me what I'm missing." She arched an eyebrow, fingers lingering over the next button. "Do you want to see if your memories hold up?"

He swallowed again, his gaze moving back to the expanse of exposed skin. What exactly was she offering? What was she asking him to do? Surely she didn't intend ….

"Thane?"

His gaze snapped back to hers, lips parted as he corralled his straying thoughts. "I … yes." He hesitated, clearing his throat. "I do."


	40. Troubling Thoughts

**Troubling Thoughts**

Jasmine opened her omni-tool, tapping the screen to access her inbox. She eyed the extranet address for a second before opening the single message in her inbox—Ares.

" _If you're in trouble, you should be off the grid and not surfing the extranet. What are you doing on 'Assassins Unveiled'? You alright, need anything?"_

She snorted. Exactly what she needed. Yet another assassin with a few extra years in the field telling her she wasn't doing her job right. She hit reply and wrote, " _Nah, trouble's passed. Well, it seems to have anyway. Long story short, I spent some time in a cell, and now I have a new handler. What about you, anything interesting in the last few months?"_

She hit send and then switched over to the vidcall feature, dialing in Theodus' number. A wide smile swept over her face when the snow white drell answered, blinking his blood red eyes at her as he sipped from a steaming mug.

"Jasmine, to what do I owe the pleasure?" He stifled a yawn against the back of one hand and took another sip.

"Did I call at a bad time?" she asked, taking in the slack look to his features.

"Not at all. I'm just waking up. Forgive me, I'm not what you'd call a morning person." He set the cup down and adjusted his screen, shifting her view enough for her to see a dimly lit living room behind him.

She thought it interesting he'd let her see anymore of his home—well, she assumed it was his home—than the bits of his office she'd seen before, but she'd think on it later. "Ah. Yeah, me neither. Well, I did some more digging and came across an extranet site I believe belongs to Cerberus. It requires a code to access, and although I'm fairly certain I can hack it myself, I'm hesitant to do anything potentially traced back to me. I planned to go to an extranet café, but Thane urged me to have you do it instead."

Theodus scoffed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Seriously? An extranet café?" He shook his head. "Don't be ridiculous."

She pursed her lips and sucked on her teeth, letting out a slow hiss. "You know … you really don't need to be an ass about it. I've used extranet cafés without problem in the past."

He smirked. "Then you should supply me with times, dates, and locations so I can remove the evidence such ventures undoubtedly left behind. All for a reasonable price, of course." Picking his mug back up, his grin widened as he sipped at the dark liquid within.

"Ha. No." She laughed, shaking her head. "I'm not exactly rich. But I'll keep that in mind. Besides, my memory just isn't good enough to recall those specifics."

"Pity, I could use the distraction," he said, letting out a heavy sigh.

Eyebrows inching up her forehead, she asked, "Distraction?"

He waved his hand, setting his cup back down. "Nothing to concern yourself with. So, you want me to get into this extranet site. Anything in particular I'll be looking for?"

"No, I just want you to get in so I can look around."

"I can do you one better and safer." The corner of his lip lifted in a smug smile. "I'll make an untraceable, temporary mirror of the site. It'll exist only on my off-site servers and will remove itself …" He waved his hand as if pulling a number out of thin air. "... within a week? I can always do it again if you require."

She arched an eyebrow, considering the offer for a moment. It certainly didn't sound like a bad idea, an off-site server would make it even harder to trace back to him if his 'untraceable' mirror of the site turned out to be not-so-untraceable. "How much more will it cost me?"

He lifted a shoulder. "A few hundred credits, it doesn't take much longer to do. You're mostly paying for the server space and at a bargain," he said, taking on a teasing tone, "because I like you."

Huffing, she rolled her eyes. "Uh huh. Why do I not believe mirroring Cerberus' extranet site will take up all that much of _your_ server space?"

He flashed his teeth at her in a Cheshire Cat grin. "Oh, it won't, but it's hardly the point, is it? It is _my_ server space, after all. You won't find anywhere safer to store data."

"Alright, alright." She chuckled, beginning to feel a little fond of the cocksure drell. "I'm sending you the extranet address now, do your thing, work your magic and send me the bill."

"Excellent. I should have it ready for you in an hour or so." He sipped at his drink, gaze still fixed on her, but his smile became a thing of the past. "Don't suppose you'll answer another personal question for me?"

She pursed her lips, remembering the last time he asked her a personal question he learned she and Thane were involved romantically. "That depends, what's the question?"

He watched her for a moment, thoughts just beyond the range of visibility as they churned in his head. "What will you do with this information, once you learn what ties the Alliance has to Cerberus?"

She sucked in a deep breath and let it trickle back out of her. What would she do? "I don't honestly know. I guess I'll have to wait and see what exactly I find." She shrugged and smiled. "Your turn. What are you needing a distraction from?"

He chuckled, setting his mug down once again and turned in his chair, giving her his profile as he ran a hand over his face. "I'm waiting to see if the information I provided another client got them killed or not. I warned them of the dangers, and I advised them against their planned course of action, but I don't believe they heeded my warnings." He stared off towards his living room for a moment, and she wondered if he fought to keep from recalling the conversation aloud.

"Ouch. That's rough." And, because she didn't want to sound _completely_ asinine, she added, "Sounds like you did all you could, though. I assume they're an adult and are going to make their own decisions … the consequences are theirs and theirs alone."

He glanced at her. "No, I don't work with children." Turning back in his chair, he faced her directly. "I did, for awhile when I was younger, but it mostly amounted to changing grades on school servers and helping lovesick fools gather information on the objects of their affections." He smiled, but it appeared forced. "This client is most certainly an adult, and as you said, the choice is theirs to make. And yet, I'd feel culpable if they died."

She blew out a heavy breath, letting it puff out her cheeks. "When will you know something?"

"They should be calling me this evening." He picked up his cup again, but only stared at it as if it held some answers for him.

"Hmmm." She pursed her lips, scrunching up her nose. "I can always send you a list of vid suggestions you can occupy yourself with."

He laughed, the sound hollow, but he seemed to relax a little. "That might not be a bad idea."

* * *

"Sere Naura, everything looks wonderful. I am scheduling your release for ten days from today." Dr. Sheal sat her datapad down on the table next to his reclining chair. "I will send you all of the relevant information you will need to continue on with your treatments, including details about the medications, return visits, and suggested lifestyle changes. Before you leave, we will work out a schedule for follow up appointments." She eyed the machines a moment before bending to slip the IV from Thane's arm and pressed a piece of light gauze to the drop of blood welling up between his scales. "It is very important for you to keep these appointments, especially over the next year while the damaged lung tissue continues to regenerate and strengthen."

Thane dipped his head when she glanced up, meeting his gaze. "Of course, you have my thanks, Dr. Sheal. It has been most pleasant working with you." Taking over for the doctor, he pressed his fingers to the gauze.

She smiled, straightening and retrieved her datapad to record readouts from the machines in his file. "I am glad to hear you think so. I will return to the facility on the day of your release, in the meantime, as always, if you find you need to speak with me, please do not hesitate to call."

"Thank you, I will, should I find need." He lifted the gauze, checking to see if the bleeding stopped, and finding it had, he tossed the gauze in the trash. Standing, he claimed his jacket from the hook next to the door and slid it on, tugging the lapels into place. He tucked his hands behind his back and waited to see if the doctor needed him for anything more.

She glanced over her shoulder at him. "Have a good day, Sere Naura."

"And you as well, Doctor." Thane dipped his head again before turning and opening the door. He left the small medical room and made his way down the hall, nodding at one of the nurses as he passed her on his way to his private room.

"Sere Naura?"

He stopped, turning to look over his shoulder at the nurse. He recognized her but didn't know her name, having not dealt with her directly. "Yes?"

"Someone came here looking for you about an hour ago." She glanced down before shifting some datapads around and opening her omni-tool.

"Indeed?" Thane glanced around him before moving back to stand in front of the nurse.

Her fingers ran over the holographic keys of her omni-tool, brow furrowing as she worked. "He did not give me a name, but he left a message for you."

"I see." He opened his omni-tool to accept the file when she looked at him expectantly. He expected it to be something she would simply repeat to him, but as soon as he received the file, he understood: it was locked and most likely encrypted. Whoever they were, they must've prepared the file to pass to the nurse, and clearly it contained something they didn't want anyone else to see. Glancing back at the nurse, he dipped his head. "My thanks."

She closed her omni-tool and returned the gesture. "You are most welcome." Shifting her datapads back into a more controllable position, she turned and walked down the hall before disappearing into one of the medical rooms.

Thane glanced back down at the message before closing the omni-tool, acutely aware of his heart thundering in his chest. He glanced around again, but the only people he saw were nurses, attendants, and residents of the rehabilitation center. All known quantities. Still, if someone watched him, there might be a small chance they didn't know exactly which room belonged to him, and he held no inclination to lead them to the place he rested.

Pulling his battle sleep firmly around himself like Colossus heavy armor, his heart stilled. He turned and made his way down the hall, instead of turning right to head toward his personal room, he turned left and exited the building. His weapons were all in his room, but he wouldn't be one of the best if he relied solely on guns and knives to protect himself. The dim light of day filtered through the triangular windows making up the domed city, the sounds of rain heavy on the glass.

 _Kolyat._

The thought nearly shattered his battle sleep, two separate instincts warring within him. The Compact trained assassin told him to lead whomever might be following him to someplace secluded, preferably dark. The father told him to run to his son and stand guard, destroy any who dared to threaten Kolyat's safety. Both knew such an act might only invite trouble to find the boy, though. He didn't even dare to call Rone to warn him as a precaution, bringing _any_ attention to his family was dangerous.

Without hesitation, he kept walking, making his way to the grand doors closest to him and left the protection of the domed city. The humidity tightened a vise around his lungs and throat the second he stepped outside, but he didn't pause. By the time he reached the taxi stand, he breathed easier, the pain dissipating completely within a few more breaths even as the rain pelted him in fat drops. Climbing inside one of the skycars, he set coordinates for a few kilometers inland, away from the domed city, to a series of caves long since mined and abandoned.

When the cab lifted into the air, he opened his omni-tool again and called Theodus. The moment the other drell's face filled the screen, Thane said, "I'm sending you a file. I need it opened immediately."

"Ah, I was watching—"

"Now." Thane all but snarled at the man, his fingers still moving over the keys to forward the file. "My apologies. I can't take the time to open it myself, I need to know what's inside right away. I may be followed."

Seriousness shifted Theodus' features into a tight mask of understanding. He turned fully to the screen, hands poised over the keyboard. Within a few seconds of Thane sending the file, Theodus hands moved over the keys, determination and concentration tugging his brow ridges inward.

A solid minute passed before Theodus smirked, meeting Thane's gaze again. "Got it. It looks like a dossier …."

A dossier? Who would use a nurse to pass him a dossier? Why not just contact him directly if they wished to offer him a contract? "Send it back to me."

A few keystrokes later and Thane's omni-tool pinged with the new message. He opened the dossier, scanning the details as quickly as possible while he tried to make sense of what he saw. The image showed an olive-scaled drell female. The information provided named her Sahnira Lenost and showed her age as twenty-four years old. It gave the address for her home and work on Enkindler's Pass, but it said nothing of who passed the information on to him or why; he assumed whoever they were wanted Sahnira Lenost dead.

He glanced up, meeting Theodus' waiting gaze. "Thank you. I'll forward your payment right away and call if I need anything else."

Brow furrowed, mouth a thin, tight line, Theodus nodded. "Stay safe, Krios."

"Indeed." He cut the call, returning his attention to the dossier as he sent payment to his contact, the vague message taunting him.

When the skycar's navigation system chimed, alerting him that he neared his destination, Thane closed the omni-tool and prepared for descent. The taxi settled down near the entrance to the mines, and he scanned the area through the windshield before opening the door. Staying low to use the vehicle for cover, he crept out of the skycar and swept his gaze over the sky. He spotted a dark speck against the dreary, gray clouds, growing larger with each passing second. Using the low brush as cover, he disappeared into the trees along the mountain's edge. Whoever followed him, with a little luck, might believe he entered the mines. He'd wait and watch from the shadows and then move in from behind.

A few moment later, a skycar landed next to his and a hooded figure stepped out. Thane couldn't tell from his vantage point whether the individual was male or female, but the flash of a green hand and the way the hood hung identified them as drell. They moved with caution and a deadly grace as they circled around to look into Thane's empty cab, leaving a sinking feeling to tug at his battle sleep. When they glanced his way, he found they'd covered their nose and mouth with a shemagh—a remnant from life on Rakhana, once used to protect from harsh winds and dust, now used to cut down on the amount of moisture inhaled—but it made it even more difficult for him to make out their features. He felt, however, fairly certain the drell was male.

The man looked around, seeming to attempt to penetrate the dense forests with his gaze before glancing at the mines. "There is no need for games, Krios," he called out, head staying in motion as he looked around.

The voice tugged at Thane's memories, digging deep into years of the distant past.

 _Rain rolls down my face, chilling my scales and leaving my insides shuddering. It soaks my clothes, fills my shoes. I long for the dry warmth of the dormitory, to collapse on my cot and pull the covers up to my chin. Night is beginning to fall, and my stomach is empty._

 _He looks away, light from the lanterns catching on scales the darkest of greens and yellows. He blinks, a soft sigh escaping him. "Again, Krios. This is not a game. You will do it again and again, until you get it perfect."_

 _My heart sinks. I find no pleasure in this, it is most certainly not a game. I'm exhausted, but I know there is no rest to be had until I do as he asks. "As you wish."_

 _I turn back to the obstacle course cut through the forest, climbing up the mountain side, and dipping down to the shores. I run, feet silent on the path laid out before me, each breath burning my lungs, my sides cramp, but I keep moving. Into the trees, I glance around, mapping the area once more, perhaps there is something I missed. Something to help. Nothing. I move between trees to hide myself from site. Crouching low, I make my way forward and leap, catching the lowest branch to pull myself up, bark rough and digging into my fingers. "I see you, Krios. Again."_

Thane blinked, forcing away the memories. "Rah'kira." Hesitating only a moment, he pushed himself from a crouch, moving a little closer. Each step carefully chosen, he made no sounds as he moved back through the trees, keeping himself hidden. "Why have you followed me?" He called out, back pressed to a tree. He couldn't see Rah'kira, but neither could Rah'kira see him. Listening, he strained to hear any sounds of movement.

"Come out of hiding, child, and speak with me." Rah'kira's voice came from closer, only six meters or so to Thane's left and a couple of meters toward the forest's edge. He'd come into the treeline, and Thane knew his former trainer waited for him to speak again in order to track his location.

Thane remained hidden, listening and waiting. He'd issued his question, either Rah'kira wished to speak with Thane enough he'd answer or he wouldn't, but either way, Thane had no intentions of revealing himself until he understood why a ghost from his past had come to haunt him. He felt no love for Rah'kira, a man he once trusted with his life but who rejected him when he felt most lost and in need of guidance. Why should Thane's wellbeing mean anything to him now?

Silence stretched on for long moments until finally Rah'kira spoke again, "You are the only I know of who has left the Compact … and I find I require the services of one such as yourself." He'd moved closer, close enough for the slightest movement from Thane to immediately give away his location. More silence. "I trust you viewed the information I gave you." Closer still, almost within reach …. "I wished to tell you the rest in person."

Thane turned, darting toward Rah'kira, fingers folding into a fist as he struck out. The older assassin was ready for him, though; Rah'kira was _always_ ready for him. Brushing aside Thane's strike as if he were still a boy yet to master the skills of his art, Rah'kira twisted, spinning as he aimed his elbow at Thane's spine. Bending at the waist, Thane let the blow move over him before stepping to the side.

"Such an arrangement would go against the Compact," Thane said, pressing forward with three quick blows, just as easily avoided and knocked aside, before sliding in behind the man.

Rah'kira turned with Thane, not giving him the access he sought, and aimed a kick at Thane's hip, forcing Thane to retreat. Rah'kira hissed his disapproval. "I do not need you to tell me how the Compact works, child." He advanced on Thane, his hand lashing out at blinding speed toward Thane's face, open-palmed.

Jerking his head back, Thane felt the air shift in front of his nose as he avoided the slap meant for his cheek. The insult of such a move stung worse than the blow likely would've, then again, twenty-two years ago, the blow would've landed. Rah'kira's eyes narrowed a fraction, and he continued his assault, a palm strike aimed at Thane's chest. He turned, Rah'kira's hand meeting open air, and then his fingers wrapped around his once-mentor's forearm. Rah'kira flowed with the movement, hip jutting into Thane's, throwing him off balance while Rah'kira broke his grip.

Thane rolled over the forest floor, fallen branches and rocks digging into his back and side, before hopping to his feet. "Then perhaps you'll explain to me why one as renowned as yourself would risk such dishonor."

"Certainly," Rah'kira said, pushing Thane back against a tree with his onslaught, "as soon as you are finished proving yourself a man."

"You are both children wallowing in the muck."

Thane and Rah'kira both froze, turning as one toward the feminine voice, hoarse and graveled with age. The moment Thane saw Alahana, his battle sleep slipped away, and he lowered his gaze, folding himself over in a low bow. He didn't need to look to know Rah'kira did the same. Despite no longer owing allegiance to the Compact, Thane found he simply couldn't deny his old den mother the respect she deserved.

He didn't look up until he felt a warm hand caress the top of his head, an invitation to meet her gaze. " _Nara_ Stelak, my apologies. I did not know you were here." Straightening, he brushed away a wet leaf clinging to his sleeve and tucked his hands behind his back.

She smiled, brushing her hand over Rah'kira's head, but kept her gaze locked on his. She unwound her shemagh, peeling away a second cloth and handed it to Thane before wrapping the first back around herself, tugging it up over her mouth and nose. "You should not be outside, Thane, least of all without something to protect your face from the rain." She glanced over her shoulder. "Come, let us retreat to these mines you chose to stage this display of yours and speak of Sahnira."

"Yes, of course, _Nara_ Stelak." Thane wrapped the shemagh around his neck, pulling it into place over the lower half of his face, the old, familiar scent of Alahana filling his lungs, bringing him comfort even after so many years.

* * *

Jasmine looked over the extranet site, ultimately it didn't really tell her much of use, other than Cerberus apparently offered extremely good benefits packages and had openings in several departments ranging from scientific research to janitorial. In the end, it left her just as frustrated and with as many questions as when she started. Still, Theodus gave her access to it for a week, she might as well put the time to use and dig in as deep as she could get, maybe something on the extranet site would lead her to something else.

Her omni-tool vibrated against her wrist, and she tore her gaze away from the laptop. Opening the device, she found another message from Ares.

" _Hm … Revenge? That's really the only thing different in my usual of sex and killing people."_

Jasmine cocked an eyebrow. Huh, so he'd manage to get his man. Good for him. She smiled and hit reply. " _How does it feel?"_

She turned her attention back to the mirrored Cerberus site and clicked on the link for their manifesto again. Something about it gnawed at the back of her mind, a thought half formed and elusive, yet persistent enough to demand she take notice. Phrases like 'any means necessary' set her teeth on edge when dealing with a group who clearly held no fondness for the idea of working cooperatively with alien races, especially after learning they'd abducted and experimented on asari. What were they looking for, and just how far did 'any means necessary' really go? The thing with the asari …. Something told Jasmine it wasn't the first or the last of its kind. Surely the Alliance didn't know about the experiments, they wouldn't cover for something so blatantly criminal. Then again … they did train and employ assassins.

 _They use us to put a stop to things like this, though. But … what_ if _the Alliance_ does _know about this?_

Her mouth dried, tongue feeling thick and sticky in her mouth. No. No way. She swallowed, hot, sour saliva replacing the Sahara in her mouth as her stomach churned. It can't … just no way. Standing before she even realized she meant to, she raked a shaking hand through her hair, pulling chunks free from her ponytail in the process. She paced back and forth in front of her couch, tugging out her hair tie only to drag her hands through her hair again.

 _Jesus Christ. The Alliance_ can't _be_ supporting _these sorts of experiments. Holy fuck. Dear God, please tell me this isn't what Leon meant. It can't be._

She needed to calm the hell down. She didn't have any solid evidence to be letting herself get so worked up. Rubbing her hands over her face, she took a deep breath. She wished Thane were there. Glancing at the time, she narrowed her eyes, trying to do the time difference calculations in her head and finally decided he was probably still in his treatments. She pulled her hair back again, securing it in a ponytail and glanced at the door. Maybe she should talk to Isaac. She didn't need to tell him everything she'd learned so far, but she could at least ask him a question or two. Something lowkey that wouldn't rouse suspicion ….

Scraping her teeth over her lip, she said, "Fuck it." Jasmine made her way next door and rang the buzzer, still mulling over what she'd say when he answered the door.

Dressed in nothing but loose-fitting, gym shorts, Isaac raised an eyebrow. "Aw, damn, I thought you were my dinner being delivered." He stepped back, clearing the way for her.

Her gaze drifted to his bare chest where blatant, yet fading, stab wound and bullet hole scars peppered his torso. "That's what the security feed is for." She stepped inside, turning to wait for him to close the door. "I mean, there might've been an assassin out there, and you just let those doors slide right open." She threw her arms out to the sides as she spoke, smirking.

Laughing, he waved her further into the apartment. "Alright, smartass. What's up? Or did you just come over to talk shit and stare at my chest? Because, I know …" He shrugged, moving past her to turn around and face her, hands held out to the sides. "... I'm sexy and all, but you do nothing for me."

She scoffed, rolling her eyes even though she smirked. "Yep, I got it, you like dick. Welcome to the club." Shifting her weight to one hip, she crossed her arms over her chest. "Though, I'm telling you, you're missing out on the other half. There's nothing as beautiful as looking up at a woman from between her legs while she has an orgasm."

Isaac let out a guffaw, doubling over with his mirth. A moment later, he straightened only to lean back, arms wrapped around his stomach as he continued to laugh. "Damn, you've got spirit." He shook his head, still letting out the occasional giggle. "I'll have to take your word on it, though. I don't want anything to do with what you women have going on down there."

She grinned, liking the 'off duty' version of Isaac. Not to say she didn't enjoy his company while working, he wasn't exactly gruff or stern with her then, but the more she got to know him, the more he relaxed around her during downtime. "I was checking out your collection of scars." She pointed to one she thought looked particularly lethal, a bullet hole though his left pectoral. "Looks like you should be dead a couple times over."

Glancing down, he lifted a hand to run his fingers over the scar. "Yeah … I had a few close calls in my early years." He picked up a tank top draped over a barstool and slid it on, all traces of humor evaporating.

 _Okay, so we're still not quite there yet. I get it, I won't press._

She waved a hand at him, arms crossed over her chest shifting into something more like a self-embrace. "Sorry, didn't mean to make you feel self-conscious or whatever."

 _I really shouldn't be here._

He flashed rows of perfect, white teeth at her. "Ah, nah, I'm just being respectful in the presence of a lady."

She snorted. "Uh huh."

Leaning against the counter, one ankle crossed over the other, his gaze roamed over her for a minute, smile slowly slipping away. "What's wrong, Shepard?" His spine seemed to stiffen, face taking on a neutral cast looking so natural she almost believed it wasn't carefully constructed.

She pursed her lips and took a deep breath, moving to perch on one of the barstools next to him. "When we first met, you said you'd read the file on Leon's death …."

He nodded. "Yeah, and?"

Watching him, she took her time, picking over her words. "Did you see the vid they found on his omni-tool?"

He turned a little, body language relaxing, opening back up as he shook his head. "No, just read the transcript in the file." Brow furrowing he glanced down, shaking his head again. "Pretty brutal. Calloused. The way he laid you out on display like that …."

His sympathetic gestures weren't lost on her and distantly she appreciated his concern, but it wasn't what she'd come to talk about. There were far more serious, pressing things she needed to know, and she needed to get on with it before she changed her mind. She opened her mouth, about to ask about Leon's last words when the door buzzer rang and she sighed.

"Sorry, give me just a minute." Isaac pushed away from the counter and made his way back to the door.

She followed him with her gaze, watching as he checked the security feed before opening the door, noting the bulge of a firearm at his back she never saw him pick up but didn't see there a moment before. Maybe talking to him wasn't such a good idea. She chewed on the inside of her cheek as he paid for his dinner, accepting the takeout bag from the asari before closing the door again.

Glancing inside as he turned and started walking back to her, he brought the bag up closer to his face and took a deep breath. "Mmm. Smells good." He took it into the kitchen and sat it on the counter before opening a drawer.

She watched him over the island, still debating on whether or not to pick the conversation back up again or make some excuse and leave. He turned back to her, carrying the delivery and two forks along with him. Opening the bag, he sat a container down on the placemat in front of her and then put a fork on top. Jasmine smiled. He acted as if feeding her was just a given, and it eased some of the tension she carried in her shoulders. She hated to admit it, but she gave him extra kudos for the 'eat out of the box' mentality.

"I'll grab us some water." He barely glanced at her as he turned back, making his way to the refrigerator. "Or do you want tea?" He looked over his shoulder when she didn't answer right away. "What's the smile for?"

She shrugged, willing herself to trust the genuineness of the moment. "Tea sounds good."

"Cool." He pulled out two glasses from the cabinet and filled them with tea from a pitcher in the refrigerator before finally sitting down across from her. "So, why ask about the vid?" Isaac asked, situating another container in front of himself and popping it open, letting out steam and the savory aroma of seared meat and vegetables.

Stalling, Jasmine picked up her fork and opened her own container, mouth watering at the smell. "Uh, well … Langston showed it to me but not the whole thing." She glanced at him as she stirred her food around, trying to release a little more of the heat before she took a bite. "Leon said I'm loyal to a fault but only because I didn't know something yet. Langston cut it off there, I'd already seen what she wanted me to see." She forced herself to shrug. "I just want to know what he said."

Isaac cocked his head to the side, lips pursed and shifting in the opposite direction. "I don't recall anything about that in the transcripts."

She didn't say anything, not trusting her voice, just gave him a dismissive shrug as she turned her attention back to her food, scooping up the mixture of a boiled, rice-like grain, red meat, and strips of some sort of pepper. Either he told her the truth, and they kept it from him, too, or he lied to her. Neither option led to the answers she wanted. Granted, whatever Leon said might be considered classified and stricken from the records, but either way, Isaac was under no obligation to tell her something Langston didn't want her to know.

"Hey," he said, drawing her gaze back to him. He watched her for a second, eyebrows raised. When he spoke again, his voice sounded low and gentle, soothing. "I'm not saying I don't believe you, Shepard. It just wasn't in anything I saw. But I feel you, this thing is still eating away at you, so I'll request a copy of the vid. Alright?"

She nodded, glancing back down at her fork. "Thanks."

* * *

Thane watched as Rah'kira held on to Alahana's elbow, guiding her through the cave to a recess in the stone where she could sit. The dim light barely reached so far into the mines, but still, he saw them well enough. Alahana settled down and turned her attention to Thane, wise eyes appraising him.

"I did not expect to ever see you on Kahje again." She folded her hands in her lap. "I did not get the chance to tell you how truly sorry I was to have learned of your wife's death."

"I—thank you." He tucked his hands behind his back, fingers curling into a fist.

He didn't want to talk about Irikah, especially not with Rah'kira present. The other drell turned his back on Thane when he left the Compact to make a life with Irikah, he ceased to exist in Rah'kira's eyes—dishonored and forgotten, made drala'fa. Alahana was at least kind enough to express her regret in his choices but wished him Arashu's blessings. She was one of few drell he encountered in the Compact who held to the old gods, and she supported him in his religious path as a child in training. He'd always feel indebted to her kindness, both when he left the Compact and during his years spent under her guidance.

Alahana hummed, her gaze never leaving him. "It pleases me to see you happy again, Thane. The human seemed quite lovely, and you are speaking with your son once more."

"You have been watching me?" Ice slipped through his veins. He didn't distrust Alahana, but if she watched him, it most likely meant the Illuminated Primacy still carried an interest in him. Unsettling news, indeed. Beleno never mentioned anything of the sort to him, but his former handler's obligations laid with the interests of the Illuminated Primacy and not Thane's desire to know of their violations of his privacy.

Aging but still holding strong to her edge, Alahana tutted, eyes narrowing at Thane. "Of course I have … but not for the sake of the Illuminated Primacy as I am sure you suspect." She shifted a little, undoubtedly finding the cool, hard stone to be less than accommodating. "You are one of mine, whether you remained within the Compact or not. I have continued to be … invested in your life in your absence as well."

He swallowed, unease twisting his stomach into knots. What did Alahana mean 'invested', did she expect him to turn Kolyat over to the Compact? He wouldn't, Irikah never wanted a life bound to the Compact for their son. It was his right as Kolyat's father to refuse.

"If only I had been wise enough to see the need before sweet Irikah's death …." She sighed, giving him a remorseful shake of her head. "Still, your son does not go without protection."

Surprise arched his brow ridges, thoughts racing through his mind. If what she implied was true, if Alahana had taken it upon herself to guard Kolyat, then he was even more indebted to her than he realized. "You—You watchover Kolyat?"

"I do," Rah'kira spoke for the first time since Alahana revealed herself out among the trees. He lifted his chin, defiance filling his tone when Thane looked at him. "You abandoned the Compact, Krios. It did not abandon you. I cannot watch your son at all times, clearly, but there are others who know the child's life is valuable and must be preserved, even if they do not understand why."

"I … I don't know what to say." Thane turned, bowing low to Rah'kira. "You have my deepest gratitude."

"Yes, well …" Rah'kira bristled, adjusting the ends of his rain cloak over his shoulders. "... perhaps we should focus on why we wished to speak with you. Being outdoors is not good for Alahana. For you either, I suppose."

Frowning, Thane turned back to Alahana. " _Nara_ Stelak, you are unwell?"

"Indeed. I am afraid the disease went unnoticed for quite some time. The treatments you recieve now are useless for me. I am on transplant lists, but with my age and the progression of the disease … this is why I asked Rah'kira to reach out to you. I have only months left, and there is something I would very much like to see taken care of before I go to the sea."

"Sahnira Lenost." He nodded in understanding, pushing away his grief for a time when he might feel it in private. "You wish for this woman to die."

"I do. Perhaps I should not, we are but tools of the Compact, but the Illuminated Primacy has refused to take appropriate actions against Sahnira. I am forbidden, and by extension, all others who serve as I do, from ending Sahnira's life. You, however, no longer serve the Compact. You are free to do as your own conscious guides you, to accept whatever contracts you wish, as Beleno recently reminded me."

 _Ah, so Beleno approves of this course of action. Reassuring, but still, it risked making an enemy out of the Illuminated Primacy._

He cleared his throat. "Forgive me for being so bold, but what has she done?"

Alahana looked down at her hands folded in her lap. She took so long to respond, Thane began to wonder if she intended answer. Eventually, she let out a dejected sigh and met his gaze once more. "She is my granddaughter, but she is known to have worked with mercenaries to abduct and sell other drell to the collectors. I have come to learn she is once again planning to do this terrible thing, and she will not be swayed otherwise."

Thane shook his head, processing what he just heard. He never even knew Alahana was a mother, let alone a grandmother. Oh, nothing within the Compact forbid such things, but few in the assassin factions rarely chose to reproduce, knowing it meant spending so much time separated from their children. After all, the Compact would soon come to an end if the families holding to the tradition didn't continue to have children of their own. Even he needn't have left the Compact to marry Irikah and have a family, but she convinced him early on to part ways with the hanar and make his own choices in life.

As much as his ignorance disturbed him, however, he found himself more troubled by the idea Alahana wished for him to kill her granddaughter. He'd accepted contracts on slavers before. Indeed, Beleno asked him to remove an elcor slaver on the Citadel not so long ago. He'd never encountered a drell taking captives, let alone one selling their own kind, but he supposed it shouldn't come as such a surprise. There were ruthless, heartless individuals in all the species—his was no exception.

Perhaps more interesting, the naming of collectors as the buyers; collectors were thought by most to be nothing but a myth. Yet if Alahana said it was so, then he found no reason to doubt the veracity of the statement. "The collectors … what do they want with drell?"

"I do not know." She shook her head. "This is not the first I have heard of their proclivity of … _collecting_ members of other species."

He frowned, pacing a few steps with his hands tucked behind his back. "The Illuminated Primacy is allowing her to do this?"

"They have warned her against this, even incarcerated her for a time, but she has been released. They will not take action to prevent her from continuing to commit such crimes, only apprehend her once the deed is done." Alahana's gaze followed him as he moved. "I fear it will take the loss of countless drell before the Illuminated Primacy deems her worthy of being stopped permanently."

"I see." He stopped his pacing, coming to stand in front of her again. "This is troubling."

She watched him in silence for a moment, tension filling the atmosphere before she said, "I cannot say with certainty, but it seems the Illuminated Primacy is hesitant to interfere with the collector's activities, even at the cost of drell lives."

He raised a brow ridge. "Why do you believe this?"

"There are rumors," Rah'kira said, and by his tone, rumor is all he believed them to be, "claiming the collectors are evolutionary descendants of the last Enkindlers. While all other Enkindlers disappeared, it is thought a few, hermitted away beyond the Omega 4 Relay, continued to live in seclusion."

Thane blinked several times. He'd never heard any such claims, but he supposed it wasn't entirely outside the realm of possibility. No one, aside from the collectors, ever traversed the Omega 4 Relay and returned to speak of what they learned. "Is there evidence to support these claims?"

Alahana sighed again, her gaze falling to her lap as she shook her head. "When they first arrested Sahnira, during interrogation, she claimed to be doing the will of the Enkindlers. She said the collectors commanded technology of the Enkindlers, and they showed her visions of the 'trials they endured to ascend to new glory.'"

Alahana cleared her throat, but it turned into a cough. Rah'kira moved to her side, kneeling before her as he produced a scrap of cloth from beneath his cloak and pressed it into her hand. She tugged her shemagh away from her face, gasping for breath before she lifted the handkerchief to her mouth; her coughing becoming alarmingly worse.

Thane moved to her side, pressing his knees against the cold, damp stone and took her free hand in between his. Bowing his head, he closed his eyes, letting the prayer whisper through his lips. "Arashu, mother to us all. Arashu, whose love knows no bounds, for without whose grace, we would all be lost and forsaken. Arashu, I ask you to give relief to this one, ease her pain and remove her suffering, soothe her soul, for she is not long from Kalahira's embrace." It surprised Thane when Rah'kira's voice joined his, knowing the other drell as a follower of the Enkindlers. "Arashu, this one has been faithful to all you teach us, showing love and compassion to those under her care. Protect her now, Arashu, as she has been a protector to us." Looking up as her coughing eased, he pretended not to see the bloodstain as she balled the cloth into her fist.

Alahana took a slow, deep breath, her voice cracking when she next spoke, "I do not know what happened to her. She spent time offworld, and when she returned, it was as if … her soul and mind had been broken." Sliding her hand free from Thane's, she offered him a reassuring smile and patted his cheek before waving both men to their feet. "I never knew her well, nor her mother—after La'ade was born, I sent her to live with her father until she became of an age to join the Compact—but the changes in Sahnira are unmistakable."

Thane stood and stepped back, but Rah'kira lingered next to Alahana. It pleased him to know in her last days, Alahana wouldn't be alone. Rah'kira had always been devoted to Alahana, but it appeared their bond only strengthened over the years. He would take good care of her.

"There is a darkness inside of her now, something corrupt and without redemption," she said after another deep, rattling breath. "She has been making trips to the Omega station in the Sahrabarik System, where I am told collectors are known to sometimes visit to make such transactions." Looking up, she sought Thane's gaze, her eyes hard and determined. "I understand your time on Kahje is nearing its end. Follow her to Omega, and end her, Thane. The Illuminated Primacy need never know of her fate. I do not ask this of you lightly, and I am not alone in my plea. Others, the families of her victims, are willing to pay whatever fees you might ask of them."

" _Nara_ Stelak," he said and then hesitated. "This woman is your kin, are you sure you want this?"

"I am." She gave him a decisive nod. "I did not make the choice without heartache and mourning, but I believe it must be done. I trust you to make it swift, and perhaps it will even be a mercy for her, for the Sahnira she once was."

Thane lowered his head, studying his feet in the dim light for a moment. Taking a deep breath, he met her gaze again. "Then I accept the contract."


	41. Life for an Assassin

**A/N:** Ares belongs to squigglysquid

 **Life for an Assassin**

Jasmine watched as the vid played, her expression carefully neutral. Her insides squirmed with more emotions than she had any desire to feel for Leon: rage, betrayal, disgust, grief, and regret. Somewhere in there, threaded through it all, she still felt love—which only brought more disgust. The vid cut off, moments before he would've started talking about what she needed to hear.

Her gaze flicked to Isaac, and he shrugged. "What happened, where's the rest?"

"That's all they sent me." He leaned back against the counter, crossing one ankle over the other. "Whatever else it showed must be beyond my clearance." He watched her for a second and shook his head. "I'm sorry, Shepard. I tried."

She blew out a heavy breath and propped her elbows on the table, cradling her face in her hands. "Yeah, thanks. I appreciate the attempt," she said from between her palms. Sliding down from the stool, she stuck her hands in the pockets of her jacket. "I'll get out of your hair, see you in the morning?"

"Actually, there's something else." Isaac pushed away from the counter again, crossing back to his laptop. "Not about Leon, but we've got an assignment." He closed down the vid of Leon and opened another folder, stepping back from the laptop to let her look.

She moved back to the stool, perching on the edge with one leg still on the floor and looked at the silver-plated turian with olive-green colony markings on the screen. Mind switching gears, she pulled the laptop a little closer and started reading. His name was Cambius Remitun, and he belonged to the Blackwatch. She schooled her expression, thoughts flashing to Ares. He'd never actually said the word 'Blackwatch', but Jasmine kind of figured he'd been a part of the Hierarchy's black ops group before going freelance.

The dossier provided only brief, concise information about Remitun's crimes: he infiltrated the home of Alliance Admiral Malkovich and stole classified information, killing Malkovich in the process. According to an unnamed informant, the target planned to arrive on the Citadel in five days to meet with the Council. He intended to present the information to the Council in an attempt to make himself stand out from the other candidates for a Spectre position. Her job, well, she supposed she'd be doing it with Isaac, was to intercept Remitun, secure the classified information, and then kill him before he met with the Council.

She let out a soft whistle. "He's Blackwatch, he'll be prepared."

"Mhmm." Isaac crossed his arms over his chest. "I don't have much on Blackwatch, or even anyone I think will really be able to tell us anything, so I'm open to suggestions."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Is this a test? It feels like a test."

He grinned, bobbing his head in the rhythmic way of his. "Maybe."

She sighed, pulling herself the rest of the way up on the stool and tapped her fingers against the breakfast bar. She sucked her teeth, already regretting the words forming on the tip of her tongue. "I might know someone who can give us some insight."

Isaac lifted an eyebrow. "Thought you didn't have any contacts of your own?"

"I never said that. You assumed I didn't, and I told you Leon discouraged it." She shrugged. "Should I get in touch with him or not?"

Bobbing his head again, he chuckled. "Alright, Shepard. Let's see what you've got. I'll give you extra points if I get to meet him, verify this contact and his information for myself."

She arched an eyebrow. "Points? Since when are we doing points?"

He just smiled.

"I hate you," she said, narrowing her eyes.

"No you don't." His smile widened into a grin.

She rolled her eyes. "I might be able to get him to come to the Citadel, if he's not busy, but it'd probably be easier if we offered to pay his way."

"Set it up," Isaac said, bobbing his head again. "I'll make sure it's taken care of."

"Alright, I better call him alone." She slid down from the stool again. "I'll let you know what he says."

Isaac nodded, walking her to the door. "Hey, Shepard?" He pursed his lips when she stopped in the doorway to look back at him. "I know you don't want to hear it, but I think you need to let this thing with Leon go. Easier said than done, I'm sure, but you need to get your head clear, and I've given you all the vacation time I can," he said with a smirk.

She forced a smile on her face, knowing damn well she'd find a way to see it through to the bitter end. It wasn't even about Leon anymore, not really. It was about figuring out what ties the Cerberus had to the Alliance. She never bought into the star-eyed ideals Geoffrey held about humanity's military, how could she when she assassinated people for them, but she did _believe_ in the Alliance. She was loyal, as Leon said, but if somewhere along the line her loyalty became a fault … she needed to know why.

She didn't respond to Isaac, just nodded and made her way down the hall to her apartment, opening her omni-tool as she went. She didn't have a clue where Ares work took him, so she didn't have a clue if it'd be day or night for him, but she planned to call him anyway. She wanted to see his face when she issued her request—well, what little of his face he ever let be seen. She opened the message already waiting from him, having forgotten to read it earlier.

" _Pretty damn good. Had the pleasure of watching him dissolve in the protein vats."_

 _Ew._

It made her oddly happy to know he'd gotten his revenge, but she could've gone without the visual. She used the call feature in the message and waited. A few seconds later, the call connected, showing her the basic outline of the hooded turian, cloaked in shadows, a sniper rifle stretched out in front of him.

"Bad time?" she asked, lifting her eyebrows.

"Not at all." He put his eye to the scope, adjusting his sighting before turning his attention back to her.

She snorted, sitting down on the couch. "So, um, hey, how do you feel about an expenses paid trip to the Citadel? Something landed on my desk I think you might be able to provide some insight on. If you're game, I could use you here ASAP."

"I'm game. Let me finish this real quick." He put his eye back to the scope, and a moment later she heard the muffled crack of a silenced shot. "Done." He crawled back, deeper into the shadows, and she heard the sounds of him packing up his weapon. A moment later, he reappeared in what looked like a dimly lit alleyway. "I'll book a ship, you can reimburse me when I get there. Meet you at Chora's?"

She debated for a minute on whether or not she should mention Isaac, but she decided against it. She had a feeling it might make him change his mind about coming. "Sounds good, just let me know when you're here."

* * *

A few hours later, Jasmine found herself dressed for Chora's Den and standing in the middle of Isaac's apartment. Her gaze roamed over him, taking in his crisp, black and white suit. She hadn't expected Ares to get to the Citadel so fast, but he messaged her a half hour ago and told her he'd grab the same booth where they met last time. Looking at Isaac, she dreaded the turian might spot him the second he walked in and make a run for the door. She knew Isaac rocked the whole disappearing into a crowd thing, but Chora's Den was a hell of a lot smaller than the open Wards.

She pursed her lips and shook her head. "At least you're wearing relatively neutral colors. Do you even own a pair of jeans?"

He smiled, running his hand down the front of his jacket. "Not currently. Come on, I look good, you know it."

"Yeah, you do, but that's kind of the point." She waved her hand at him. "No one is going to just glance at you once and keep moving. They're going to stop and look you over head to toe, especially this guy."

"You really want me to change?" He raised an eyebrow, a smile toying around his lips.

She gave him a hopeful look. "Maybe just leave the jacket?"

He laughed. "Doesn't work that way." Slipping off his jacket, he turned toward his room. "Hold on a second." A minute later, he came back out, his dress shirt gone, leaving him in a tank top. He held up a maroon shirt, cut like a t-shirt, but silken. In the other hand he held a gray, almost silver, shirt of a similar design but with a crushed velvet look to it. "Which one?"

She sighed inwardly, thoroughly convinced the man didn't at all understand the concept of blending in. Hell, she kinda wanted to steal both of the shirts, they'd fit right in with her wardrobe. Narrowing her eyes, she watched as he held first one and then the other up to his chest again. "Maroon."

He smiled, dropping the gray shirt on the counter and slipped the other over his head. "Happy?"

"Happier." She smirked. "Now, please, just stay back until I call you over. I don't know this guy real well, I don't want him to bolt."

"Girl, I know what I'm doing." He picked up the discarded shirt and took it back to his room. When he came out again, he put on a brimmed, black hat, tilting it to the side, the piping matching his shirt. He winked at her, and she laughed as she followed him to the door.

They left Tiberius Towers and hailed a cab at the taxi stand. When it arrived, he opened the door for her and she climbed inside, setting the coordinates for the rapid transit location just outside of Chora's Den. Isaac climbed inside next to her and added in a location to one of the stands a little further away. He closed the door and the cab took off.

"So, what do I need to know about this guy?" Sliding the seat further back, he stretched his long legs out as much as the cramped skycar allowed.

"Mmmm. No offense, but I'm not going to tell you much about him. I wouldn't want him to if the roles were reversed." Jasmine glanced over at him, hoping her tight-lipped approach didn't upset her new handler.

He turned his lips down, raising his eyebrows and nodded. "Fair enough. Just tell me what you're comfortable with, then, so I'm not going in completely blind."

"Alright, he's turian. Likes to wear a hooded cloak. He's got …" She waved her fingers at the side of her face. "... some pretty serious scarring he keeps hidden. Burns. He smokes, drinks, and is a terrible flirt. He'll be armed. He's perceptive. Honestly a bit of an ass, but in a funny way. Well, funny to me. He's crass, so, you know, don't let it bother you."

Isaac shifted in his seat, turning more towards her. "How'd you meet him?"

"Uhhhh … he's someone I'd been chatting with for awhile, and one night, after a rough few days, I invited him for drinks." She shrugged, brushing off the question and looked out the windshield. "You know, just to have someone to talk to."

"Uh huh."

She glanced over at him, seeing the dubious look on his face, and snorted. "It was just drinks. Well, drinks and then a late night meal at _Le Bleu_."

"Now see, that wasn't even the part I was questioning, but now I am." He grinned. "I meant how did you meet him initially, before you invited him for drinks."

She turned her head to look out the window, hiding the twitch of a smile and shrugged. "Ask him if you want."

"Maybe I will." He fell silent, letting his words linger in the air between them.

She felt his gaze on her, raising the hairs on the back of her neck, so she turned her attention to him. "Anything else?"

He jerked his head a little. "What's he know you by?"

"Ramona," she said, then tilted her head in acquiescence, "but I'm sure he realizes it's not my real name."

He raised an eyebrow. "He knows what you do for a living?"

"It's never been said directly, but yeah," she said with a nod.

Isaac seemed to contemplate for a moment before asking, "You trust him?"

She pursed her lips and drew her shoulders inward before letting them drop. "I don't _not_ trust him."

He smirked. "You trust him for this job?"

She thought about it for a second, remembering what he'd said about how he'd been betrayed, and then she gave Isaac a decisive nod. "Yeah. Yeah, I do."

When the cab finally settled down, Isaac climbed out, turning back to duck his head into the vehicle. "If anything doesn't feel right, I mean anything, I expect you to give me the signal."

"Yep," she said, putting emphasis on the last part. "I'll see you when you get there."

He smirked, giving her a shake of his head. "No you won't."

She snorted as he closed the door, and then the cab lifted back into the air. A minute later, it touched down outside of the entrance to Chora's Den, and she climbed out. The steady bass coming from the club reached her ears, and she smiled, making her way toward the entrance. The door slid open for her, and she glanced around, scanning the crowd. Rounding the bar, she made her way to her old table, the hooded turian already waiting for her, lit cigarette and drink in hand.

He fluttered his mandibles, making the sides of his hood waver, when he saw her. Jasmine's smile widened, and she slid into the booth across from him, turning sideways so she could see the rest of the bar. Ares waved over the waitress, a human she'd never seen before.

"Welcome to Chora's Den, what can I get for you?" The woman shifted her weight from foot to foot, glancing around the bar before her gaze landed back on Jasmine.

"Gunfire, and whatever he's having." She nodded toward Ares.

"Coming right up!" The waitress flashed Jasmine a smile, but it looked worn thin. Working the crowded club, it was no surprise.

"Whatever I'm having?" He let out a low, rumbling chuckle. "And here I thought we were going to be having a serious conversation."

She nodded, the corner of her mouth lifting in a smirk. "We will be, but after drinking me under the table the last time we were here, I assume you can handle your liquor enough to have another drink. Unless you've had more than just the one while you waited?"

He hummed, obviously feigning contemplation. "Well …." He turned his face toward her enough for her to see a shit-eating grin stand out in the shadows. "But, remember, there's no one here around to save you from my charms this time."

Snorting, she rolled her eyes. "I can take care of myself." She shifted a little, letting her gaze roam over the bar, hoping to catch sight of Isaac. "I thought we might take a few minutes to, you know, catch up, but then if it's alright with you, I'd rather discuss business someplace less public."

Blowing out a heavy cloud of smoke, he rumbled deep in his throat and nodded. "What's the saying?" He downed the rest of his drink. "I'm game."

"Good," she said with a grin, her gaze locking on the waitress as she carried their drinks back to the table. She waited a moment, letting the waitress set the glasses down in front of them and clear away Ares' old glass before she spoke again. "So … protein vats? Seriously?"

He snorted into his raised glass, lowering it again without taking a drink to say, "The Citadel seems to have fire suppression systems in place, so I couldn't go that route." Shrugging, he lifted his drink again, speaking into the glass loud enough for her to hear. "Go figure."

Jasmine shuddered, exaggerating the motion. "That's gross, but hey, good for you getting it done." She smiled, raising a questioning eyebrow. "So, are you reevaluating your life choices now? Thinking of changing careers?"

"No." He took a long drag of his cigarette. "Why? Should I be?"

She shook her head. "Nope," she said, letting the last syllable pop on her lips. "Do what makes you happy." She hummed, picking at the corner of the table for a second. "I killed my handler." The words came out quiet, pitched low so they won't carry beyond the table. "Spent a few months locked up for it."

Eyes hidden by the hood, his expression lost to the shadows once more, he watched her. The weight of his gaze started to make the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end, so she glanced around the bar again before turning her attention back to Ares.

After a long moment of silence, he finally spoke, his voice decidedly lacking emotion as he asked, "Was it worth it?"

She sucked in a deep breath, letting it expand her lungs until it felt like her ribcage might dislocate. Holding it for a moment, she silently repeated the question to herself. His gaze left her, giving her space to contemplate her answer.

Letting the air seep back out of her, she said, "It had to be done. And, I'd do it again, under the same circumstances."

He made a throaty sound she couldn't quite decipher through his damaged larynx before downing his drink and dropping his spent cigarette in the glass. "I'm ready when you are."

Jasmine knocked back her drink, holding the empty glass in her hand a moment. "There's someone else here I want you to meet. He's keeping his distance until I ask him to join us, if you get up and walk away, no one's going to follow you. But, I hope you don't because I think you might be interested in hearing about my latest job, and I think we could really use your help."

Ares cupped his hands around another cigarette, flicking his old, tarnished lighter, flinching away from the flame. He took in a drag, his voice dry when he let the smoke drift out of him again, saying, "If it's another turian, I'm going to be so hurt."

She snorted again, tension easing across her shoulders. "No, he's human. I did meet a rather attractive turian the other day, though. In C-Sec." She grinned, cocking an eyebrow. "So, while we're still alone, you think you'd mind maybe not mentioning Tannor?" She gave herself a mental pat on the back for remembering to use Thane's alias.

"Who?" He paused, his mandibles fluttering lightly, and then nodded once. "Right. Sure."

"Thanks." Jasmine leaned forward, sitting her empty cup on the edge of the table toward the middle—the signal she planned beforehand to use to let Isaac know Ares agreed to meet him—then she leaned back again. "Am I introducing you as Ares?"

Taking his gaze from the glass, he turned his attention back to her and took another drag from his cigarette. "Nemos is better. Until I know this acquaintance of yours."

She nodded, turning her attention to the crowd. "Fair enough."

A moment later, Isaac appeared next to the booth, and Jasmine dropped her feet, sitting forward so he could take a seat. It might have annoyed her, just a teeny, tiny bit, she didn't see where he came from, even though she watched for his approach. He slid into the booth next to her and folded his hands on top of the table.

"Ray, meet Nemos." She halfheartedly waved her hand between the two of them. "Nemos, Ray … my new handler."

"It's a pleasure." Isaac shifted his gaze to Jasmine, when Ares did little more than flick his mandibles and take a drag from his cigarette. Giving her a playful smirk, he asked, "So, are we ready to go? Because if you down another drink like that, I have a feeling I might be carrying you out of here, and I really don't want vomit on my shirt."

She snorted, shaking her head. If he only knew just how much alcohol she normally put away without blinking an eye … then again, she did just spend a few months in the galaxy's shittiest dry tank. She didn't really drink much on Kahje, either. "Please," she said, rolling her eyes. She turned her attention back to Ares and raised an eyebrow in question, giving him an opening to stall longer if he still needed time to get a feel for Isaac before leaving with them. "You had enough to drink?"

Ares shrugged, sliding out of the booth to stand at the end of the table, waiting. "Lead on."

He loomed over them, and not just because they remained seated, he really was one of the largest turians she'd ever seen. She admitted, he seemed a fair bit more intimidating when she was sober. Well, mostly sober.

Isaac bobbed his head to whatever beat only he heard and stood, taking a couple of steps back to make room for Jasmine. She pushed herself to the edge of the seat and dropped a credit chit on the table before making her way towards the door. Glancing over her shoulder at the two assassins trailing behind her, she caught sight of Ares dropping his cigarette butt into her empty glass. Her eyebrow twitched, mind already trying to ferret out whether or not there was something behind his choice of glass. Looking for the symbolism. It brought her no comfort, and for the first time that night, she started to wonder if calling him had been a mistake.

Outside of Chora's Den, she stopped a meter or so from the door and turned back to them, raising an eyebrow. "My place okay with the two of you?" Admittedly, the idea didn't sit one-hundred percent right with her, but it won out over asking Ares to go back to Isaac's, and they did need the privacy. She thought she saw Isaac's eyes widen for a microsecond, but he only shrugged, glancing at Ares.

Ares' shoulders lifted and dropped as he shook his head. "It's your place, not mine. You want to go there, fine by me."

She sucked on her teeth, the atmosphere feeling awkward and tense. Maybe she should've prepared Ares better for meeting Isaac, but her gut told her he never would've agreed otherwise. She supposed it made her a shit person, but what's done is done. "You good sharing a taxi?"

His mandibles flicked once under his hood. "He sits in the back with me." Ares glanced between her and Isaac. "Figure I don't need to explain why."

Jasmine pursed her lips but nodded. "Alright, let's go."

Isaac was a big boy, he could take care of himself.

* * *

Thane lowered himself to the floor, forming a diamond between his hands, thumbs and forefingers pressed together, and crossed his right ankle over the other. Breathing in a slow and steady breath, he pushed himself up, savoring the burn of his muscles. When his thoughts started to stray to Irikah, he reined them back in, old habits truly did die hard. Instead, he redirected his musings to Sahnira.

It hadn't been difficult to trace the woman's activities, he didn't even need to contact Theodus for assistance. Undoubtedly, Theodus would be able to tell him more, but he believed he learned all he needed. It pained him to know Alahana's granddaughter strayed so far, but her coming to him as a solution left him conflicted. Yet, he accepted the contract, and he'd follow through. It'd dishonor Alahana to not trust her to know her own mind and heart. She expressed certainty, so he intended to bring a swift death to Sahnira. Perhaps he'd uncover some answers, something to show how the woman managed to become so lost, and bring Alahana closure.

Perhaps what left him the most discontented was the fact he'd planned to spend a few extra days with Kolyat once his treatments ended, and then follow the ever-present pull of his heart back to Jasmine. He didn't anticipate the job taking an excessive amount of time, but he did intend to uncover what he could about Sahnira's dealing with the collectors and anyone else who might be involved. Alahana gave him no deadline, so he might still spend a couple of days with Kolyat before leaving Kahje, but he was afraid Jasmine would have to wait.

Changing positions, he tilted his hips and placed a hand on the small of his back, bearing his weight on his left arm, and lowered himself once more. He believed Jasmine would understand, she knew better than most the complications of life for an assassin, and still she chose to be with him. She'd intertwined her life with his, and claimed his heart as her own. Smiling, the memory of the taste of her tongue in his mouth the first time she kissed him tickled at the back of his mind, threatening to distract him completely. He nudged the memory away, promising to allow himself to revisit it later.

Omni-tool vibrating against his wrist, Thane sighed then let out a chuckle. Apparently the gods willed him to be distracted just then, one way or another. He pushed up on his knees and sat back on his heels. Opening the omni-tool, he saw the call came from Kolyat, so he answered it right away.

"Father," Kolyat said as soon as the call connected, a definite pout to his face. "Aleha has gone to the hospital, it is time for the baby to be born. Everyone is going there to see her, but Aleha does not wish for me to join them. She says I am too young to be present." Kolyat huffed, the blue of his eyes catching in the light as he rolled them up toward the ceiling—Thane wondered whether he'd learned the gesture from Jasmine, or perhaps Drali. "May I come stay with you?"

Thane dipped his head, pleased his son wished to stay with him as opposed to insisting he stay at one of his friends' houses, or even alone. "Of course."

He assumed Kolyat's uncle hadn't heard him be so direct, otherwise Rone would've scolded Kolyat. Thane certainly didn't plan to correct him, he never bothered to adjust his own speech patterns when he returned to Kahje—with few exceptions. Questions and directness stopped bothering him long ago, and as much as his heritage meant to him, he found Rone's constant reprimands over Kolyat's manner of expression a bit tiring. He'd never tell Rone, of course, it'd be insulting considering the man took over the task of raising the boy.

Kolyat grinned. "Thank you, Father. I will tell Uncle Rone. He said he would bring me over on their way to the hospital if you agreed."

Returning his smile, Thane said, "I'll see you soon."

As soon as Kolyat cut the call, Thane pushed himself up from the floor and made his way to the bathroom, stripping off his pants and stepping into the sonic-shower. Scrubbing himself with the _haratasinu_ , he activated the sound waves, just beyond his range of hearing, letting the sonic blasts knock the cleansing powder and sweat residue from his body. Once he felt clean, he turned off the waves and stepped out, picking up his pants on his way back to his bedroom. He tossed the linen pants in the hamper and then got dressed.

Thane was ready and waiting when the door chimed. After a quick check of the security feed, he answered the door with a smile. "Hello. Please, come inside." He stepped back, letting Kolyat and Rone step into his room.

Kolyat carried an overnight bag with him, which caught Thane by surprise. He didn't realize his son intended to stay the night, but he certainly wouldn't argue against it. Kolyat came inside and sat his bag down next to the couch before taking a seat. Rone lingered near the door, gaze tracking Kolyat's movements before turning to Thane.

"He insisted on bringing some of his things. He said the baby may not come until very late at night, and he may need to spend the night with you." Rone shifted a little, his gaze dropping to the floor as he continued. "I think … I think he was afraid to express the desire to stay the night. Perhaps he feared you or I might not allow him to. I do not think we will be at the hospital very late, so if you wish, I can return for him later."

"I don't mind at all." Thane tucked his hands behind his back. "He's more than welcome to stay, for however long he likes."

Rone smiled, meeting his gaze again. "Ah, well, unfortunately one night is the most he can stay. He has school the day after tomorrow."

"Indeed." Thane chuckled. "Please, give Aleha my best wishes."

"Of course." Rone dipped his head, stepping back out of the door before turning to look at Thane again. "Goodnight, Brother."

Thane smiled, dipping his head as well. "And you, Brother."

* * *

The cab settled down next to the stand outside of Tiberius Towers, and Jasmine opened the door. The ride in the skycar passed mostly in silence, her few failed attempts to make small talk falling on deaf ears. It didn't take her long to realize the shift in Ares' mood reflected his changing roles from shithead smartass to professional assassin on business. Still, she knew he wasn't exactly comfortable with the idea of having Isaac sprung on him, but he seemed willing to play nice … so long as Isaac didn't say or do something stupid. It made her momentarily glad Leon was dead, because he most certainly would've done _something_ to piss off the turian.

Stepping out of the front seat, she waited for Isaac to unfold his long limbs from the back seat, hiding a smirk. She found it kind of funny the two of them, both significantly taller than her, crammed themselves into the back. Isaac cleared the way, and a moment later, Ares stepped out of the cab, glancing around before his gaze settled on her. She led them into Tiberius Towers, smiling at the asari behind the front desk whose eyes grew to the size of walnuts as she took in the addition to Jasmine's entourage.

They stepped into the elevator, Ares pressing his back to the side wall, and Isaac took up station opposite of him, leaving her in no man's land. She let out a weary breath and pushed the button for their floor. Christ, it was going to be a long night, and she'd already had a long day. When the elevator stopped, she led the way to her apartment and unlocked the door.

Stepping inside, she waved her hand out. "Come on in."

Isaac slipped past her, turning on her lights as he went. He glanced back over his shoulder, his gaze meeting hers briefly. Something in his eyes unnerved her, but she didn't know him well enough to make it out. Damn, she hoped she didn't lose some of those points he mentioned earlier. He sat down on the arm of her couch, legs extended out in front of him, ankles crossed, looking perfectly at ease. She called bullshit.

Ares came inside, moving over to lean his hip against the breakfast bar and crossed his arms. He watched Jasmine as she pulled out a stool, sitting down at the end not far from him. "We're in private, so speak."

Her eyebrow twitched at his curt tone and clipped demand before she schooled her features. Sliding her laptop over a little closer to her, she opened it, using her thumbprint to login before accessing the dossier. Looking up, she sought out Ares' gaze and held it, turning the laptop around and sliding it a little closer to him. She felt more than heard Isaac shift his weight, and Ares' gaze flicked to him before returning to the image on the laptop.

She watched Ares, the light of the apartment illuminating more of his features than the dimness of Chora's Den. "Is there anything you can tell us? What we should expect … anything that might help?"

He scrolled through the dossier, mandibles working silently as he read. "I heard of the name before …." He seemed to speak more to himself than to her, tapping his talons against the counter. Glancing at Jasmine, he shifted his gaze to Isaac. "If I'm just here to provide information, then you're going to have to give me some good incentive. And threatening my life won't work." He chuckled, the sound rough, dry, and completely void of humor. "Some have already tried."

Jasmine snorted. "Do you really think so little of me?" She turned in her seat, glancing between him and Isaac.

"I'm not talking about you." Ares pulled his gaze away from Isaac and looked at her again. "I'm talking about the Alliance."

She winced, dodging Isaac's gaze as he pushed away from the couch, moving to stand next to her. Yep. She definitely lost points. Fuck it, she didn't even know she was working on a point system. He leaned against the edge of the breakfast bar, the scent of his cologne filling her nostrils, forcing her to look him in the eye. He held her gaze, but didn't say anything. She knew the moment the old, stubborn flare sparked in her eyes, despite her best intentions to keep her face neutral, because he grinned, flashing his teeth at her and shook his head.

After a moment, he turned his attention to Ares. "You want to be here for something more than just information?"

"Keep it off any official reports to your superiors, and I'd do it for free. There's no love lost between the Blackwatch division and myself." He rumbled and stretched out his neck, making it pop. "But force me to stay out of it and ask for some information only, and I expect some good credits."

"Fuck that, you're not stealing my job. This is my first one back in the game," she said, glancing at Isaac, "besides, I've got to impress Bossman."

Ares grinned, mandibles flaring wide. "Credits it is then."

"Salazar, play nice." Isaac pushed away from the counter. "He's your contact," he said, smirking at her before moving into the kitchen. "You brought him in on this, you can share your toys if the man wants to play." He opened her refrigerator, pulling out a bottle of water—without asking—and unscrewed the lid, tipping it back to take a drink.

Ares' gaze followed Isaac's movements until her handler started drinking from the bottle. He turned his attention back to her. "You don't want me in, and you don't want to pay me, so you tell _me_ what you think my aid is worth?" He smirked and crossed his arms again.

She pursed her lips, all too aware she looked like a petulant child as she crossed her arms, but she didn't care. "No one said we wouldn't pay you …" She glanced at Isaac who chuckled, taking another drink. "... regardless of what part you play in this, and I already told you, your trip is paid for." She sucked on her teeth, watching Ares through narrowed eyes. "We both know you don't work with partners. The question is, are you able to 'play nice?'"

"Just because I don't, doesn't mean I _can't_." He grunted and drummed his talons on his opposite elbow. "I can work just fine, but I'm not responsible for whatever political bullshit is going on between the Alliance and Hierarchy concerning this. I've had enough being a scapegoat, so it still stands. Keep me out of your reports." He looked to Isaac. "Both of your reports, superior and subordinate."

Isaac sat the bottle down on the counter, screwing the lid back on. "And if I want to play, too?" Something flashed in Isaac's eyes, something almost … flirty as he said the words, and Jasmine filed it away for later consideration.

Ares watched Isaac, an unfamiliar rumble rising from his chest before shrugging. "Isn't my contract. You want to play outside of it, then it's a different conversation."

Jasmine let out a phlegmy, rolling sound in the back of her throat, sliding off the stool. "I hate you both," she muttered, making her way into the kitchen.

"No you don't," Isaac said.

She opened the refrigerator, pulling out two more bottles of water. She held one up, shaking it a little at Ares and lifted an eyebrow. He held out a hand, and she tossed it to him before twisting the cap off the other. Taking a drink, she glanced between the two men, shaking her head at the smug look on Isaac's face as he watched Ares.

"She wouldn't tell me much about you." Isaac laid his forearms on the counter, leaning in a little over the breakfast bar towards Ares. "How'd you two meet?"

Jasmine grinned, nodding her head in permission to Ares from behind Isaac, waiting to see if he'd bring up ' _Assassins Unveiled'_. She was glad to see the two of them relaxing, even if she felt mildly disturbed by the unexpected undertones the conversation took on. She wondered if Isaac was genuinely interested in Ares, or just working with what information she gave him to put the turian at ease.

"Matchmaking site," Ares said, and she nearly choked on her water. "Perfect for people like us." He took a drink, taking his time swallowing the water before adding, "She said something about liking piña coladas and beaches, and it was love at first reply."

Isaac slowly turned his head to look at her, eyebrows arching up.

She shook her head. "It _was not_ a matchmaking site." Cocking a hip, arching an eyebrow, and holding her arms out to the side, she added, "Like hell I need to use a matchmaking site."

"Uh huh."

"If it isn't one, then I've been using it wrong." Ares lifted a hand to his chest, affecting confusion and surprise.

Isaac turned his attention back to the turian on the other side of the breakfast bar. "'Love at first reply', huh? Salazar, you didn't tell me you two have a thing going on."

"We don't." She huffed, leaning against the counter next to her handler.

"Hard not to fall in love with a woman who's willing to talk about her panties with me." Ares gave Jasmine a knowing smirk.

She rolled her eyes. "I hate you both."

"' _Assassins Unveiled'_ … which makes you … ' _ThisGuy800.'_ " Isaac pushed back from the breakfast bar and picked up his bottle of water.

Ares hummed in affirmation, lifting his own bottle to his mouth plates.

Isaac laughed, the sound rich and boisterous. "You're a dick."

Jasmine joined him, head tilted back to the ceiling. Glancing back at Ares, she closed her mouth, bringing her fist to her lips to stifle her laughter.

Ares shrugged. "Heard the human saying once, 'don't be _that guy_ ' and decided why not?"

"Why don't you tell him who you are?" She reached out a hand to shove Isaac, but he brushed it aside before she made contact, laughter cutting off as quickly as it started.

Turning her wrist to counter, she stopped when his fingers locked around her arm, and he gently pushed her back with a smirk. She threw her bottle cap at him instead, and he let it hit his chest before bouncing onto the counter.

"Nah, I'll let him figure it out on his own." He glanced back and forth between her and Ares. "So, we'll do the job together. Nemos is never mentioned in the reports." He shrugged. "I can live with that." Gaze steady on Ares, he said, "Last chance to give me a price, or I'm taking you up on the offer of doing it for free."

Finishing off his bottle of water, Ares nodded. "She said she'd pay my travel expense and that's it. So long as Remitun is dead by the end, I'm good."

Leaning against the counter again, she shook her head. "I said your expenses would be paid, didn't say _I'm_ paying them." She jerked her head toward Isaac. "He's taking care of it."

Isaac opened his omni-tool. "I can reimburse you now, if you want."

"I'll send you my account information and a bill," Ares said, opening his omni-tool. "I only deal in untraceable chits or third party accounts."

"No problem." After a moment, Isaac's omni-tool pinged with the information, and he wired credits to the account. Closing his omni-tool, he glanced at Jasmine. "It's late, I'm heading out to crash. You good?"

"I'm good." She turned her attention to Ares, lifting an eyebrow as she asked, "Stick around for a bit?"

He let out a thrumming sound, standing up straight. "I'm going for a smoke," he said as he headed for her balcony.

She took it as a yes.


	42. Wounded

**A/N:** 'Strengthening Bonds' is a side fic taking place between chapters 15 and 16 featuring Jasmine and Ares (Ares is written by squigglysquid) over the few days they spent together while getting ready for the Remitun job. Please check it out!

 **Wounded**

Jasmine sunk back into the shadows, gaze drifting between Isaac's position and _The Caleria_ coming into dock. No doubt thanks to Ares' complaining, Isaac outfited them all with comms before they headed out. She hated the damn things, hated the way the device felt in her ear, but more importantly, hated it all but deafened her on her right side. It left her feeling jumpy, constantly wanting to turn her head to check her three and six o'clock because she couldn't trust herself to pick up on the sounds of an enemy approaching.

So far, so good, though. She didn't see any sign of other Blackwatch members lurking in the shadows, and neither Ares nor Isaac reported any either. She glanced up, sweeping her gaze up and down the catwalks before lifting her sniper rifle, putting her eye to the scope to check out the far side. Nothing. Lowering her gun, she glanced to her right and behind her once more. Letting out a sigh, she turned her attention back to the docks.

Just as the clamps closed down on _The Caleria_ , locking the ship into place, Jasmine caught a glimpse of an armored turian moving through the crowds before disappearing from sight. She brought her hand up to her ear, tapping the mic on her comm unit. "Potential at your eight, lost visual."

Isaac, not being in a position to activate his mic and respond without risking drawing attention to himself, reached over and brushed at his sleeve—a signal they'd agreed upon beforehand. She kept watch, waiting for the turian to show himself again, but she only caught a glimpse as he continued to close in on the docking bay, approaching from Isaac's left, before she lost track of him again. He wore dark, nondescript armor, but the shotgun on his back was obvious enough. Still, didn't necessarily make him Blackwatch.

The airlock slid open, and people started filing off _The Caleria_. Jasmine lifted her sniper rifle again, using the scope to zero in on the turian faces, ignoring those who were obviously not Remitun. She stopped on one, pursing her lips as she matched up facial features, plate color, and hide color to her memory of Remitun. Ares had been right, Remitun changed his colony markings. Instead of sporting the olive-green curves swooping down his mandibles and spread out over his cheeks before arching over his temples, Remitun changed to a red, lines traveling from the crestline straight down his forehead and over his nose, spreading out low over his upper mouth plates before arching back up to curl back in toward his eyes. Other lines traveled perpendicular to those on his forehead, tracing the curve of his face before trailing over his mandibles.

Jasmine touched her mic again. "Target confirmed."

She watched as Remitun cleared the walkway, stepping out onto the actual Citadel. He stopped, scanning the area, mandibles fluttering. Two other turians—Veltiria Simtumus and Kaeslio Attis, if Ares' intel was correct—moved past Remitun, scanning the crowds before breaking away, taking flanking positions. Attis, she assumed, melted into the crowd, but she stayed with him, tracking his movements as he moved closer and closer toward one of the entrances to the catwalks. He disappeared into the alcove where she knew he'd climb the ladder leading up to the catwalks, and she knew she had minutes at most before the turian would spot her.

Tapping her mic again, Jasmine said, "Secondary male target confirmed. Changing positions."

She gave one last glance to the docks, watching Isaac as he scratched his chin in confirmation before she flipped the strap on her sniper rifle over her head and arm, shoving the rifle behind her and started moving. Staying in the shadows, she moved to the next ladder, climbing up to the second tier of the catwalks. Activating her cloak at the top, she put as much distance between herself and the turian black ops specialist moving in her direction as she could before the cloak failed again, counting down the seconds in her head. Just before her cloak dropped, she stepped into a darker shadow and crouched. Waiting and watching while her cloak recharged.

A shift in the shadows down below alerted her to Attis' approach. Lucky for her, his attention stayed on the crowded floor. She reactivated her cloak and pushed herself to her feet, putting more distance between herself and Attis. Turning onto one of the crosswalks, she ducked down again, putting her back to the metal sheet reinforcing the intersection. She waited there, letting Attis pass beneath her as he continued on down the catwalk. She couldn't risk trying to get eyes on Isaac or Remitun, but judging by Attis' movements, Remitun decided to stick to traveling by foot instead of using the Citadel Rapid Transit.

Creeping to the other side of the crosswalk, she peered over the edge to watch Attis. The turian stopped again, glancing around the catwalks, but he didn't look up. Turning his attention back to the Citadel floor. His gaze shifted, and suddenly he seemed to be tracking something else, his mandibles snapping tight against his jaw. Dread turned in Jasmine's stomach as she realized the known sniper spotted Isaac—which meant Isaac made a mistake, something he wasn't likely to do without a damn good reason.

Isaac's voice filled her ear as he said, "Your C-Sec friend is tailing me. I could use a distraction."

Jasmine closed her eyes for a fraction of a second, breath caught in her throat. Damn it. She knew Garrus wouldn't let it go. He had her scent—both metaphorically and literally—after suspecting her and Ares for the deaths of three men and the injuries leaving two others in the hospital. He was right, but still, it annoyed the hell out of her the officer wouldn't leave it alone.

The men were after Mouse, ready to shoot him over some shit he stole from their store. There wasn't any way in hell she'd let that happen. Yeah, things got out of hand, but Isaac made the records go poof, convinced the survivors to keep their mouths shut, and somehow even managed to get the C-Sec higher ups to close the investigation. She didn't even _want_ to know how the hell he pulled _that_ off. But none of it seemed to matter to Garrus who found her at _Le Bleu_ , _trying_ to have a nice, quiet lunch, and decided to question her about the incident. Apparently, he decided it was a good idea to follow Isaac, knowing Isaac as her CO.

Opening her eyes again, she saw Attis lifting one hand to his comm, reaching for his sniper rifle holstered on his back with the other. Jasmine lifted her own rifle, bringing him into her sights, and lined up her shot before he could raise the alarm. She pulled the trigger, the sound muffled through her silencer. Attis jerked to the side, the shot taking him in the side of the head. He stumbled, knees buckling before he collapsed, armor making the metal of the catwalks ring. Blue blood already started dripping through the mesh, soon, someone down below would notice. Pivoting, she aimed her rifle at the show window of a store and pulled the trigger, shattering the glass. It probably wasn't the distraction Isaac wanted, and it'd probably put Remitun on high alert, but it'd have to do.

Immediately, a roar went through the crowd below as people yelled and began to run for cover. Jasmine stood, activating her cloak and ran like hell, putting distance between herself and the dead body, no real need to be silent for the time being.

"Seriously?" Isaac _did not_ sound amused.

Stopping on the opposite catwalk, she lifted her hand to her mic. "Secondary male drew a weapon, he had you in his sights." Collapsing her sniper rifle, she concealed it beneath her jacket and grabbed the ladder leading into an alley. "I needed to take him down and put some distance between us. Sorry, it's the best distraction I could give you in the moment. Moving to the ground before secondary male is discovered."

Ares' voice broke through the comms, a dry rumble in her ear. "Expect secondary female to react when he doesn't check in."

"Distraction successful," Isaac said, and then a few seconds later, "Primary changing course."

Jasmine hurried down the ladder and exited at the far end of the alley. It put her away from Attis and the comotion her vandalism caused, but it also made it impossible for her to get eyes on either Isaac or Remitun. She hung a right, planning to make her way down to the next alley a couple of blocks down and then cut back acrossed.

"Moving to engage secondary female. Take lead, Sunshine," Isaac said.

 _Well, shit._

Picking up speed, she broke into a jog, praying no one paid her any attention as she wove through the crowds. "Don't have visual," she said into her comm, rounding the corner to the alley. No sooner than the words left her mouth, though, she caught sight of Remitun as he jumped, grabbing a ladder on the side of a building and pulling himself up. She ducked back around the edge, bringing her hand back to her mic. "Scratch that, I see him. Primary moving to a rooftop." She opened her omni-tool, snagging her coordinates from the omni-tool's built in sensors and forwarded them to Ares. "Sweet Pea, your position is no longer in primary's path. I'm sending you the building's location, look at the maps and reconfigure primary's trajectory to determine where to relocate. I'm going up."

Ares growled in her ear, the same low, challenge of a sound he used with her anytime she told him what to do. Still, she knew he'd listen. Spending the last few days with the turian crashing at her apartment, she'd learned quite a bit about him, figured out a little of what made him tick. If he held any real complaints about her directives, he'd give voice to them and tell her what he intended to do instead. She waited until Remitun disappeared over the top of the ladder before easing down the side of the building, sticking to the shadows and hugging the wall as much as possible.

Reaching the ladder, she took a deep breath, backing up a little to get a running start. There wasn't anything around besides the wall for her to kick off of, and it wouldn't give her the angle she needed, so she just had to jump for it. Pushing off, she bent her knees and lunged for the ladder, letting out her breath in a relieved sigh when her hands wrapped around the bottom rung, and she started to pull herself up.

Peeking over the edge at the top, Jasmine scanned the area, not seeing Remitun. She activated her cloak and then climbed over the edge, dropping down behind the ventilation systems. A soft scrape of sound at her back warned her of an imminent attack. Pulling her pistol as she spun, she came face to face with the butt of Remitun's assault rifle coming at her as the turian jumped down from the massive coolant unit.

Rolling out of the way, she fired off a shot, expecting it to miss but with a little luck it would buy her a few seconds. She popped back to her feet only to be hit with biotics, dark blue and purple energy swirling around her, ripping her insides out. Jasmine clenched her teeth against the pain, a scream forcing its way up through her throat anyway. She stumbled back, trying to put distance between herself and the advancing turian, lowering his assault rifle at her.

A bullet tore through her abdomen, another through her shoulder, two points of searing, hot pain, leaving her momentarily blinded. By the grace of God, she tripped, her calves hitting another vent, and fell over the metal surface to land on the other side. Miraculously, she didn't drop her pistol. Scrambling as shots flew over her head and the last of the Reave wore off, Jasmine moved a little further down the shaft to an area that might actually provide her some cover. She glanced down at her stomach, blood seeping through her shirt on the right. It didn't even hurt anymore, and she knew that was _not_ a good thing.

"Found two more," Ares voice filled her ear. "Taking them down, then I'll send you my new location."

Fingers trembling, Jasmine lifted her hand to her mic. "Pinned down by primary. I've been shot."

"Where are you?" Isaac's voice came, cold and demanding.

"Uh …." She couldn't remember the coordinates, and she didn't exactly have time to look.

"You're bleeding, human." Remitun's voice came from about a meter and a half away, making her jerk her head toward the sound, sending a fresh wave of agony through her shoulder. "Your backup will never arrive in time."

Peering around the edge, Jasmine lifted her pistol, firing off three shots only to have them be eaten by Remitun's Barrier. Her shoulder cried out with each recoil, demanding she stop. God damn it, why did she have to get stuck with the Cabal trained turian? Christ, if ever there was a time for her to want red sand, it was right then. At least she'd have _some_ biotics, even if they were miniscule in comparison, and wouldn't give a shit about the pain.

"Sunshine, where are you?" Isaac asked again, resorting to her stupid codename for the comms. Still, it was better than the one she gave Ares.

Firing again, if for no other reason than to try to keep the turian back, she snapped her jaw down on a bolt of white hot pain shooting through her shoulder, the wound in her abdomen starting to throb. Remitun opened fire, sending her scurrying back behind the thick sheets of metal, praying they'd hold out against his weapon.

Ares' growl ripped through the comm when she didn't answer, and she heard the shuffled sounds of hand to hand combat on his end. "Give me a second, and I'll send you her last coordinates."

"I hear gunfire, I'm heading in that direction. Putting in a diversionary call to C-Sec," Isaac said.

Remitun scoffed. "You? You are what they send after me? You're but a child, not even wearing armor."

Jasmine's jaw twitched at the insult, but it wasn't really the time to let her pride dictate her actions. Instead, she pressed her palm against her wound and then smeared the blood over the vent, spreading her scent around. Staying low and moving as quietly as possible, she left a trail of blood down the side of the vent as she crawled to the far end. She heard Remitun sniffing the air, almost hearing his confusion through the deep breaths.

The vents moved upward, splitting off, giving her an area where she could pull herself back to her feet, despite the stabbing pain and lightheaded feeling scrambling her thoughts. Pressing her back to the vent, she peered around the edge, spotting Remitun taking slow, cautious steps towards her last location.

"That's a lot of blood, you still alive, little human?" He tilted his head to the side, straining to listen for her above the sounds coming from the Citadel streets, no doubt.

"Sending you her coordinates and headed to her now," Ares said.

She fought back the urge to tell the turian to fuck off and waited, gun in hand. The second his Barrier dropped, she took aim and fired. Weakened from her injuries, her shot didn't land where she wanted it to, catching him in the joint of his mandible instead of the temple. Remitun stumbled back, dropping his assault rifle before falling. Flailing as he went down, he managed to turn himself over to hands and knees, his head turned away from her. His armor would take too long for her to get through with her pistol, and she didn't have time to switch back to her sniper rifle and line up a shot, so, she rushed him, hand pressed to the bullet wound at her side, her will to live pushing her through the pain.

Remitun reared back to his knees, taking a swing at her, biotics building at the tips of his fingers. She dodged, the Reave licking at her side but not quite reaching its mark. Bringing her pistol up, she fired into his face at point blank range. Her shot tore through his eye, bringing a strangled gasp from the turian before he fell silent. Listing to the side, his other eye already glazing over, she fired again for good measure. Remitun collapsed, unmoving and dead.

Jasmine dropped down next to him, whimpering as pain wracked her wounds. Digging in her jacket pocket with numb fingers, she finally managed to wrap her hand around the tube of Medi-gel. She pulled it out, only to drop it, her vision starting to darken around the edges, ears ringing. She reached for it, trying to focus, but a dark hand picked it up instead. She glanced up, finding Isaac moving to squat down in front of her.

His lips moved, but she couldn't hear him. She blinked, trying to focus. He moved a hand to her face—Christ, why was his skin so hot?—fingers guiding her head back to look at him. He glanced over his shoulder, and Jasmine's gaze followed, spotting Ares approaching as everything went black.

* * *

Thane placed his piece on the _treala_ board and looked at Kolyat. Drali sat to the side of the boy, looking over his shoulder and pointing out moves, much to Kolyat's dismay. Twice, Thane caught Kolyat ram an elbow at his uncle, only to have Drali laugh and lean in closer. Kolyat glared at Drali, picking up his next piece before playing it adjacent to Thane's.

Drali hissed. "You shouldn't have done that." A lie, meant to antagonize the boy; Kolyat's choice of move was sound.

"Uncle Drali, stop!" The words left Kolyat in a frustrated whine.

Drali laughed, standing up from the table, grabbing his cup and Thane's. "More, Brother?"

Thane looked up at the tall drell and dipped his head. "Yes, please."

Rone spent the afternoon in his study, filling out expense reports and Kelena went to help Aleha with the baby—a girl, named Asantia, so Thane was told. Everyone, save Thane, had been invited to visit the child after Aleha left the hospital. The slight wasn't lost on him, but neither was it unexpected.

Drali returned, putting a fresh cup of _cinuela_ down in front of Thane. "So, you haven't spoken of Jasmine tonight. I trust she is well."

Thane glanced at Kolyat, relieved to see his son didn't react, before turning his attention to Drali. "Ah, yes, she is well. I haven't spoken to her in a couple of days. She is … entertaining a guest in her home. I don't wish to intrude."

Drali lifted a brow ridge, the question evident in his eyes.

"He is a colleague, there to help her with an assignment," Thane said, waving his hand. "For work."

"Of course," Drali said, sitting back down next to Kolyat, his gaze staying on Thane.

Thane chuckled, knowing what Drali must think about Jasmine having a man stay with her, but he carried no doubts. Even should she seek comfort in Ares' arms in his absence—which he didn't believe she would, he knew her thoughts on stepping outside of a relationship—her heart still belonged to him, and in the end, nothing else mattered.

"Is Jasmine angry with me, Father?" Kolyat asked, his gaze flicking to Thane's before dropping back to the board.

"Not at all, Kolyat." Thane picked up his next piece, moving it over two spaces deeper into the spiral. "In fact, she asks about you every time we speak. She cares about you, and hopes you are doing well."

"I left her present in the restaurant and said mean things to her." Kolyat picked up one of his blue stones, turning it over in his hand as he looked at the board. "She has every reason to be angry."

Thane's lip twitched in a smile, reaching into his pocket to retrieve the bracelet she'd given Kolyat for his birthday. He'd kept it with him since the day Kolyat stormed off, tossing the bracelet on the table. "Would you like her gift back, Kolyat?" he asked, holding it up for his son to see.

Kolyat's eyes widened. "I did not know you kept it." He took the bracelet from Thane's palm when he held it out. Smiling, Kolyat ran his fingers over the shells.

Glancing at the board, he hastily put his piece down on an empty space, turning his attention back to the bracelet. Drali grunted, leaning forward and sliding the piece over to a more advantageous position, but no one commented. Kolyat opened the clasp, wrapping the bracelet around his wrist before trapping it against his chest to help him hold it in place while he closed it, securing the bracelet in place.

Thane smiled, picking up his next piece. "Perhaps we will call her later, if you'd like. I'm sure she'd be pleased to hear from you."

* * *

Jasmine jerked back awake when Isaac slapped her face, not hard enough to bruise, but certainly hard enough to sting. He waited until her gaze focused on him before nodding and lifting her shirt up to survey the damage done to the right hand side of her abdomen. Ares squatted down at her left, out of the way of Isaac's work. She glanced at him, and he flicked a mandible pushing back to his feet to scope out the rest of the roof.

"I'm going to roll you over a little to look at the back, see if it went through," Isaac said, sliding his hands under her side. "Ready?" He lifted an eyebrow.

Even though she nodded, the second he started to shift her, agony swept through her, and she blacked out again.

* * *

Thane's omni-tool vibrated against his wrist, and he opened the screen. Brow ridge twitching, he glanced at the notification from ' _Assassins Unveiled'_. He opened the link and saw he'd received a private message from Ares' username. Confused as to why the turian assassin would be sending him a private message, Thane logged into the site and accessed the systems internal messages.

" _Figured she'd want me to tell you she's been shot. Her guy's got her at a clinic. She'll live."_

Thane's heart stuttered in his chest. He read the message again, trying to focus his attention on the last, simple sentence.

"Thane, are you well?" Drali's voice dragged him from the depths of fear settling in around him like a thick, black cloud ready to suffocate him.

"I—my apologies." Thane met Drali's gaze. "Excuse me for a moment." He stood, making his way down the hall to the bathroom and locked the door behind him.

He read the message again, looking for any subtext before responding. " _I see, thank you for notifying me. Please, can you tell me how extensive her injuries are? Is her location secure?"_

Ares' response didn't take long in coming. " _Assault rifle shot to the lower, right side of her abdomen and right shoulder. All known targets were taken care of. Nobody's getting in there at her."_

Thane sucked in a deep breath, rubbing his hand over his face. He assumed 'her guy' meant her handler, Isaac, she called him. 'All known targets' seemed to imply there might be more they weren't aware of, and the thought unsettled Thane. It seemed as if Ares stood watch from outside the clinic, but surely her handler would be inside with her. He brought his hand back to his omni-tool and wrote, " _Thank you. If anything changes … if she needs anything, please let me know."_

Ares didn't respond, but having met him in person, Thane wasn't surprised. If anything, it shocked him that Ares thought to message him at all. Ares said she'd live, and she was receiving medical attention, but still, Thane wanted to go to her. Close enough to being discharged from the rehabilitation facility, two more treatments couldn't possibly make too much of a difference. He could go to the Citadel, check on her, and still hunt Sahnira once he'd assured himself Jasmine would recover. Oh, but Kolyat. It would crush him if Thane left so suddenly and without warning.

He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. Gathering himself, he left the bathroom and made his way back to the table, forcing a reassuring smile on his face when both Kolyat and Drali looked at him with concern in their eyes. He would wait, one day only. If he didn't hear from her by then … Kolyat would learn to forgive him, he hoped.

* * *

Ice rushed through Jasmine's veins, a delicious warmth in its wake. She gasped, letting out a euphoric groan as whatever the beautiful, beautiful thing was slammed into her, lifting her higher than she'd felt in so, so long. She opened her eyes, vision swimming as the drug took hold of her—narcotic painkillers, it had to be. Pain, more so the awareness of pain, distant and dull tickled at the back of her mind as her gaze took in the cute redhead standing next to her.

 _Who the fuck are you?_

The woman turned, glancing over her shoulder as she pulled the syringe out of Jasmine's IV port. "Daniel, she's awake."

 _Who the hell is Daniel?_

"Daniel?" Jasmine asked, the word feeling off and thick on her tongue. She tried to turn her head to look, but the motion just seemed to intensify the rush. She moaned.

 _Oh, God. It feels so good._

A familiar face stepped into view. "Give me a minute with her, please?"

Jasmine struggled with putting a name to the face, but she knew it wasn't 'Daniel'.

"Of course," the redhead said, stepping away from the bed and taking with her the syringe.

 _Bring it back, oh, please, bring it back._

He moved to Jasmine's side, leaning down to whisper in her ear. "You were caught in the crossfire of a merc war. Your name is Angela Novak. My name is Daniel Hastings. I brought you here instead of a hospital because you're on the Citadel undocumented after blowing the whistle on corporate corruption within Binary Helix, and we need your injuries to remain off the records in order to keep you safe. Can you remember that?"

Jasmine licked her lips, trying really hard to get the new information to penetrate the fog. She'd remembered Isaac well enough after a second or two, remembered who and what she was, what really happened. She shook her head a little, wrapping her hand around the collar of his shirt. She blinked trying to focus her gaze on his dark brown eyes. She opened her mouth, forcing out the most difficult words she'd ever had to speak because they went against what every nerve in her body demanded in the moment. "You can't let her give me anymore, even if I ask … I'm a recovering addict."

Isaac pulled back a little, brow dipping down low. "Shit. I'm sorry, I didn't know."

She shook her head, eyes rolling back, lids fluttering closed as the rush took her again, a lover she'd not seen in years come back to caress every inch of her, mind and body. "I'll ask, I already want to."

He frowned, concern filling his eyes when she looked up at him again. "She's going to have to knock you out. The shot went through your abdomen, but she needs to clean out the wound and close it off. The one in your shoulder has to be removed and the bone reinforced so it heals right." He rubbed a hand over his head. "You're probably going to wake up feeling even worse, but I'll … I'll see what she has that won't be an issue for you."

Jasmine nodded, as much to feel the sweet, blissful rush again as to acknowledge his statement as she let him go.

* * *

"Ow." Jasmine's eyes fluttered open before drooping closed again. Her shoulder throbbed, her abdomen felt like someone shoved a hot poker inside of her and left there. "Fuck me, that hurts." She forced her eyes opened once more, focusing in on the stranger standing next to her bed.

The redhead smiled down at her. "I'm sorry, Ms. Novak. I've given you the strongest non-narcotic I have here."

 _Novak? Right._

Jasmine grunted, gaze landing on Isaac, and she bit back the urge to insist on something stronger. "Thank you, doctor."

"Chloe Michel, and I'm happy to help. As soon as the sedation wears off completely, you'll be able to get out of the bed and move around. I imagine it won't feel very pleasant, but Daniel tells me it's best he gets you to a safe house immediately." The door to the clinic slid open, and the doctor turned, a smile spreading across her face. "Garrus! It's good to see you."

Reflexes feeling half-dead, Jasmine was slow to turn, but when she did, she caught sight of the C-Sec officer who'd been dogging her the last few days. He stepped into the clinic and stopped dead in his tracks. Garrus' mandibles flared wide, looking genuinely shocked as he took in Jasmine and Isaac.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me," Isaac said, and for the first time she recalled, Jasmine thought he sounded angry. He pushed off the wall, moving around the partition to intercept Garrus. "Can I speak with you outside a moment, Officer?"

Garrus shifted his gaze between Isaac, Jasmine, and Dr. Michel before giving Isaac a curt nod. He turned back around and left the clinic, Isaac hot on his heels.

"Oh, no." Dr. Michel turned her attention back to Jasmine. "I hope everything is alright."

Jasmine shifted a little on the bed, clenching her teeth against a hiss of pain. "Whatever the hell you gave me, it's not helping. At all. Is there something else you can try?"

Dr. Michel gave her a sympathetic smile and shook her head. "I'm sorry, not so close together."

Jasmine let out a heavy sigh and nodded, leaning back on her pillows and closing her eyes, hoping the doctor would take the hint and leave her alone. She wondered where Ares went off to. She wasn't exactly surprised to not see him in the clinic, but she hoped he didn't take off without saying goodbye. She didn't have the chance to ask if he or Isaac sustained injuries at all, but she didn't see anything on Isaac. At least they got to Remitun before he made it to the Council. Even if she made an ass out of herself and got shot.

A few minutes later, the clinic door opened and the two men came back inside, Garrus looking irritated but resigned. Jasmine lifted an eyebrow, surprised to see him still there. She didn't know what Isaac said to him, but whatever, clearly the officer wasn't happy about it. Isaac moved back to his position against the wall not far from her, and Garrus made a beeline for the doctor. She stepped off to the side to talk to him in hushed whispers, making Jasmine wonder if they talked about her.

As they pulled apart again, Dr. Michel put a hand on Garrus' arm and, loud enough for Jasmine to hear, said, "Thank you, Garrus. I can't tell you what a relief that is. If there is ever anything I can do for you, please don't hesitate to ask."

Garrus fluttered his mandibles and nodded at the doctor before turning and started walking. He took two steps before he stopped, looking back at Jasmine over his shoulder, mandibles flaring. He glanced at Isaac and then turned again, walking over to Jasmine's bed. He shifted a little, glancing between her and Isaac. "Hey, hmmm, Angela," he said, and Jasmine lifted an eyebrow. "How are you feeling?"

She blinked, turning her head to glance at Isaac who watched Garrus like a hawk. She guessed Isaac must've told Garrus to call her Angela in front of the doctor, but why? She turned her attention back to Garrus and licked her lips. "Like shit."

He chuffed, flaring his mandibles a little as his mouth plates shifted in an almost smile. "I, uh, I wanted to let you know, I was able to track down a surveillance camera that captured some of the altercation I told you about … looks like you're right, the kid was in trouble." He fluttered his mandibles again, looking at her as he seemed to make up his mind about something. "The images aren't clear enough to get a positive ID, but it's obvious the woman involved saved the kid's life." He glanced at Isaac again. "The investigations been closed, and without any solid evidence … it's staying that way."

She hesitated, not really sure what to say but finally decided on giving him a half smile. "I'm sure that's very disappointing for you."

He let out a soft sigh and tilted his head a little. "It happens that way sometimes. Anyway, I better get going. I hope you feel better soon."

"Thanks," Jasmine said, lifting her hand in a half-assed wave. She watched him leave before turning to Isaac, whispering, "What the hell did you say to him?"

"We'll talk about it later." Isaac pushed off the wall, moving back over to her side. "Feel like you can stand yet?"

She scrunched up her nose, not at all fond of the idea. "Yeah. Not going to like it much, though."

He chuckled, shaking his head as he held out his hands to help her. "Don't need to like it, just need to make it to the taxi stand outside." He glanced over his shoulder at the doctor. "Chloe, is it alright if we borrow the gown? I'll wash it and bring it back to you tomorrow."

Dr. Michel waved a hand. "Don't bother, I have plenty. Here, let me take her IV out."

While the doctor removed Jasmine's IV, the door slid open again and Ares strolled inside. "Damn, here I was hoping I'd catch you with your shirt off."

Dr. Michel made a scandalized sound in the back of her throat and looked up, eyes widening at the massive turian.

Jasmine snorted, regretting the action as she eased herself up on the bed with Isaac's help. Her stomach screamed at her, yelling as if being torn open all over again, and her shoulder wasn't any more polite. "Thought maybe you left without saying goodbye."

"You wound me," he said, splaying his fingers out over his chest, "had to see if you're going to milk your injuries and get me in here to drag you out of bed." Ares flicked a mandible, moving to lean against the pillar of the half partition. "You know, if you were trying to get some battle scars, you're going to have to try harder than that. I still have you beat."

She smirked, pushing her feet over the edge of the bed. "You can carry me out to the taxi if it'll make you feel better."

Ares snorted, moving closer to the bed with his arms outstretched. "Your carriage awaits, milady."

Isaac chuckled, helping her slide down off the bed, and shook his head.

Clenching her teeth, her pain ratcheted up to about a fifteen on a scale of one to ten as she stood. She swayed a little, nausea rolling through her stomach, whether from the last effects of the sedation or pain she wasn't sure. She held onto Isaac, unashamed, as she took several slow, deep breaths. Finally, she glanced at Ares and forced a smile on her face. "How about you just put an arm around me and help me walk?"

He flicked a mandible at her but moved closer, sliding an arm under her uninjured side, wrapping it around her back, and pulled some of her weight over onto him. Isaac moved to her other side, ready to assist her more if she needed it. Slow but steady, they led her out of the clinic and over to the taxi stand just outside.

Ares held onto her, hanging back a little while Isaac called the taxi, his voice low so it wouldn't cary past the two of them. "I saw Garrus going in earlier. Heard the little argument he and Ray had. Hopefully he isn't a problem for you anymore."

Jasmine grunted, glancing up at Ares. Christ, where the hell was the cab? She needed to sit back down. "I don't think he will be. Either way, I doubt we'll stay on the Citadel after this."

Ares nodded, mandibles fluttering a little. "I sent your drell a message. Let him know you were hurt but told him you'd live."

Surprised, she raised both brows and blinked a few times. "Thanks."

His response came as a grunted, "Don't mention it."

He walked her a little closer to Isaac as the skycar settled down. When Isaac opened the door, Ares helped her get settled into the front passenger seat. Instantly, her pain lessened, but it remained far more than she wanted to deal with without drugs. Recovering sober was going to suck so hard. Well, maybe Isaac wouldn't take her revelation to drastic lengths and refuse to get her some damn alcohol to take the edge off.

Ares moved back, looking her over and nodded before reaching down to tuck the edge of her gown in around her so it wouldn't get caught in the door. He took a step back, reaching up to rest his hand on the raised door. "I guess you don't need my input anymore, with the hunt done and you leaving the station soon."

"You taking off?" Jasmine asked, holding his gaze.

He grunted, nodding his head. As he started to close the skycar, her smirked at her and said, "No point in sticking around if I'm not even going to get laid."


	43. Debriefing

**Debriefing**

Jasmine laid back on her couch while Isaac paced the floor behind her, talking to someone way above her pay grade. He'd waited until he got her back at her apartment to let her know they didn't actually find the OSD or any of the stolen information on Remitun's omni-tool. Isaac figured Remitun must've passed it off to one of the others, and since they needed to stay on Remitun, no one stopped to check the other members of Blackwatch they killed along the way. Ordinarily, they would've backtracked to try to return to the corpses to check them over before they were discovered, but … Jasmine got shot and Isaac considered getting her to the clinic top priority. Admittedly, she felt more than a little touched. Something told her Leon would've slapped Medi-gel on her and left her there to go find the OSD, or maybe dragged her off somewhere dark and quiet until he could return for her.

But, it also meant Isaac needed to explain to his superiors why they hadn't retrieved the information. By the sounds of things, they blamed Jasmine. Of course. Honestly, she couldn't really argue with their logic, she'd followed Remitun to a secluded area on her own, without backup readily available. She fucked up, and she got shot. Twice.

Isaac, on the other hand, was pissed. "Bullshit! She did everything right. Don't you dare sit here and tell me this is her fault. She had my back, she took down a sniper about to shoot me, and when I told her to stay on Remitun while I diverted to take care of another threat, she did as she was told. That's it." His tone seethed, even if he managed to keep his volume level, something she'd never heard from him before.

She wasn't really used to having someone defend her, and she didn't really know how she felt about it. Her entire life, well, since her mother died, Jasmine looked out for herself, stood up for herself. Yeah, she had some help along the way, obviously. Hell, she'd been dead on the streets of Santa Fe if not for Geoffrey's interference … but still.

"Yes, and she was injured in the process, forcing you to tend to her instead of tracking down the information we sent you to retrieve." The man on the other end of the conversation scoffed, his voice grating on her nerves. "Obviously she didn't do something right."

"This isn't a civilian we're talking about, you get that, right?" Isaac's tone carried with it the underlying question of 'are you fucking stupid?'—and it brought a pained smile to Jasmine's face. "Remitun was Blackwatch, and, as you failed to tell us, a goddamn biotic with at least four people there to guard him." He threw a hand up in the air before rubbing it across his head. "How was she really supposed to defend against a biotic wearing armor and carrying an assault rifle? He used a Reave on her, that shit alone could've killed her!" He turned, pacing back closer to her. "Still, she took him down. Alone, while injured. Even I would've had trouble with him by myself under those circumstances."

Jasmine raised an eyebrow, but he didn't look at her as he continued his pacing. She highly doubted he would've fallen into the same trap she did, let alone been shot. She'd seen his hand to hand skills, he'd probably have taken down Remitun before the turian even pulled his biotics together. Not that she held any intentions of correcting Isaac, at least not while on a call with his superiors. Especially seeing as she didn't think they knew she was even in the room, and Isaac _probably_ shouldn't have called them with her present. The man already proved himself a mother hen, though, and he said he didn't want to leave her alone until she started moving around better on her own.

"Very well, Winter," a woman said, and though Jasmine couldn't see the speaker, she strongly suspected the voice belonged to The Bitch. "You've made your point. As her handler and lead on this assignment, I expect you to hunt down the OSD. _Today_."

"Yeah." He stopped pacing, staring down whomever was on the screen. "I'll get right on it."

"A piece of advice? I wouldn't be so quick to stick my neck out for her, if I were you. She might decide it looks better slit," the woman said, making Jasmine almost entirely sure it was The Bitch talking, but the sound of nails tap, tap, tapping against a hard surface after the snide comment left Jasmine without a doubt.

"I'll take that under advisement, ma'am," he said, his voice cold enough to send a chill down Jasmine's spine.

A moment later, Isaac rounded the couch, omni-tool closed, and squatted down in front of her. "Will you be alright by yourself for a while?"

She smirked, knowing it probably didn't carry the weight she wanted with as shitty as she felt. "I'll survive, _Dad_."

He chuckled, pushing back to his feet. "Alright, Shepard, I'll remember that when you need help getting to the bathroom. I'm not wiping your ass, just so we're clear."

She laughed, following it with a groan. "Hey …" she said, letting seriousness seep into her voice, "... you can stop calling me Shepard, if you want. I think you've earned the right to call me Jasmine."

He snorted, pushing his lips out. "Mmmm, I don't know, you _did_ just call me Dad." He smiled at her as he turned for the door, but she saw in his eyes how important the moment really was to him, despite his levity. "You need me to pick you up anything while I'm out?"

"A giant bottle of rum." She shifted enough to track his movements.

He stopped, turning around and taking a few steps back towards the couch. "Is liquor really a good idea?"

"Alcohol isn't really a problem for me. So far, anyway." She winced, pushing herself up enough to adjust the pillows behind her. "It's what I usually go to for pain relief."

"You're sure?" He raised an eyebrow and waited for her to nod before saying, "Alright. Brand preference?"

"Doesn't matter, just so it's strong." She waved her hand towards her bedroom. "Will you grab me a shirt before you go, I want out of this damn hospital gown."

Grinning, he bobbed his head. "Sure." Isaac disappeared into her room, returning a moment later with Thane's shirt and the throw blanket from the chair in her room. "This was hanging over the corner of your bed," he said, holding up Thane's shirt, "it looks comfortable. You want this or something else."

A soft smile spread over her lips and she said, "Perfect."

"Alright, let me help you." He tossed the shirt and the blanket on the back of the couch before moving to stand in front of her.

When she nodded, he eased her upright and undid the strings holding the gown closed, sliding it down off her arms. It left her sitting there in nothing but her panties, all of her other clothes having been removed at the clinic. Dropping the gown next to her, he picked up Thane's shirt again, rolling it up in his hands before slipping it over her head. It was actually kind of nice for a guy to see her topless and _not_ oogle her tits. Hell, his gaze didn't even stray. He guided her injured arm through the sleeve while she worked on shoving her other arm through the opposite hole. Reaching behind her as she tugged the shirt down, he slid a hand under her hair, giving her goosebumps as he pulled her hair free of the collar. She idly wondered if he wanted children, because she thought he'd make a really good father.

Adjusting the pillows for her again, he spread the blanket out over her legs before nodding to himself. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Hey, Isaac?" She waited for him to meet her gaze before she said, "Be careful."

* * *

Thane breathed a sigh of relief, accepting the call the second he recognized the number. "Siha …."

"Hey," she said, a weary smile spreading over her face, she looked exhausted and pale, and he saw the signs of pain in the creases of her brow and corner of her eyes. She wore his shirt, and it still warmed his heart, gratifying some unnamable part of him to see her in something belonging to him.

He smiled, glancing towards Kolyat and Drali before turning his attention back to her. "Kolyat is here, and Drali, too. I can go somewhere more private, if you wish." He hoped she'd accept his offer, he wanted to know what happened, but of course she couldn't tell him in front of the other two.

Pursing her lips, she turned down the corners of her mouth and shook her head. "It's alright, I probably won't stay on long. I just wanted to check in with you, see how you're doing. Let you know I'm okay." Her choice of words were simple, but he knew she chose them specifically for the implications—her injuries weren't lethal, the danger passed, and she wanted him to stop worrying.

Drali stood, and before Thane could say anything, the man rounded the table and bent down behind him, looking over his shoulder at the screen. "You look terrible."

She snorted, wincing a little, hardly enough for anyone to notice if they weren't looking for it, but Thane did. She was in pain, and he loathed the fact. "Hello, Drali."

"What happened to you?" Drali asked, grinning wide enough for Thane to see out of the corner of his eye. "And what's this I hear about a man staying with you?"

Thane sighed, shaking his head. He shot Drali a chastising look, but the man didn't pay him any attention, so he turned his gaze back to the Jasmine. "My apologies, my brother forgets himself."

Jasmine's eyebrow twitched, the corner of her mouth lifting in a smirk. Her gaze—filled with the mischievous challenge he'd grown used to seeing in her eyes—remained steady on Drali. "Who says anything happened to me? Can't a girl just be tired?"

She was saved from whatever retort Drali undoubtedly prepared to deliver when Kolyat stood, easing into Thane's side to look at the screen. A bright smile lit her face, gaze locking onto the boy. "Kolyat, hey."

"Hello, Jasmine." Kolyat shifted a little closer. "I am sorry you do not feel well."

"I'll be alright, I just had a long day." She lifted her left shoulder in a shrug, shifting the view on her omni-tool briefly, and Thane could tell, even with her opposite shoulder being the one reported as injured, the gesture caused her pain. "I'm sure I'll feel better after a good night's sleep."

"It's not yet so late there, is it?" Drali asked with a hum.

Thane glanced at him, lifting a brow ridge, wishing his brother would stop antagonizing Jasmine when she didn't feel well. "Her work requires her to be up quite early."

Drali looked at Thane, his eyes narrowing a fraction. "I see." He turned his attention back to Jasmine and grinned. "Well, then, I hope you rest well tonight and look better tomorrow."

She huffed, rolling her eyes but smiled. "Thanks."

Kolyat chuckled, glancing at his uncle. "Uncle Drali, be nice."

"I am nice, I gave her flowers while she was here." Drali glanced at Kolyat. "You should know, human women like flowers as gifts, but they sniff them, so don't give them any 'dwindling day.'"

He gave his uncle a dubious look, raising one of his brow ridges while tugging the other down.

Thane chuckled, tuning his attention back to Jasmine. "Indeed. Her name comes from a flower found on Earth, though she is infinitely more beautiful," he said, remembering their conversation about the scented candle in her apartment back on the Citadel.

"Yes," Drali drawled, "but does she smell better?"

Jasmine snorted, the resulting wince more obvious.

"Ah," Drali said, undoubtedly catching her slip, "I do hope you feel better in the morning, Earth flower Jasmine." He stood upright. "Come, Kolyat, let your father have a moment alone with her before she goes to bed."

"I—I wanted to say something first," Kolyat said, turning his attention back to the screen. "I owe you an apology, Jasmine. I am afraid I did not handle myself appropriately the last time we spoke. I hope you can forgive me, and know I wish you well."

Thane reached out, pressing his palm to Kolyat's back in support. He smiled at his son, offering Kolyat what reassurance he could when Kolyat glanced down at him. Turning his attention back to Jasmine, Kolyat relaxed a little.

She smiled, eyes softening around the edges. "I wish you well, too, Kolyat, but I've already forgiven you."

He dipped his head, a soft smile tugging at the corners of his lips, relief evident in the drop of his shoulders. "Goodnight, Jasmine."

"Goodnight," she said.

Drali and Kolyat left, heading down the hall toward Kolyat's room. Thane watched them go before letting out a heavy sigh and turning his gaze back to her. Shoulders sagging a little, he allowed his face and body to convey the depth of his concern for her once they were without audience.

"I'm alright, Thane, really." Her voice came out soft and low, as if she intended to soothe him when she was the one injured. Who could expect anything different from a siha?

He leaned in a little closer, wishing it were so easy to truly close the space between them. Gaze roaming over her, he soaked in her presence, despite the distance. "Tell me, and I will leave here tonight. I can be on the Citadel by morning."

She smiled and shook her head. "As much as I'd love to have you here, you need to be there right now. Besides, you've taken a job, and it sounded really important to you. And, for all I know, when Isaac gets back, he's going to rush us out of here. I may not even _be_ on the Citadel in the morning."

"He's not there with you now?" He raised a brow ridge. "Ares is there though, yes? You're not alone."

"Ares took off after I left the clinic." She shook her head. "Isaac needed to go try to find the OSD we were supposed to get as part of the job. It wasn't on the guy we thought had it, and Isaac was more concerned with getting me taken care of than finding it. His superiors insisted he go back out and find it today, though."

Grateful Isaac chose to get Jasmine help first, Thane didn't wish to complain about the man performing his duties once she was safe.

 _But_ is _she safe?_

He forced his features to still, choosing his next words carefully so as not to offend her. "Ares implied there may be more targets to be concerned about."

"If there are, and if they show up here, I'm still armed," she said, letting out a weary sigh, betraying the boldness of the statement.

"Siha." Thane frowned, he didn't like the idea of her being alone while injured, especially if there was even the smallest chance someone might come looking for her.

"Isaac will be back before you could make it here, anyway." She shifted on the couch, jaw clenching with the movement. "And when he is, I doubt I'll be able to convince him to leave my side. He's acting like an overprotective parent. Not that I'm complaining. Being shot sucks."

Realizing she was right, and perhaps he, too, behaved in an overprotective manner, he chuckled, dipping his head. "Indeed. The one who shot you, he is dead?"

Jasmine smirked, smugness hiding the pain in her eyes for just a moment. "With three of my bullets lodged in his face. And, I can now say I know what it feels like to get hit with a Reave."

"A Reave?" His brow ridge lifted. "He was biotic?" Indeed, it impressed him to know she'd survived such a close assault with a member of Blackwatch, but to hear she'd not only been the one to take the turian down but the target also commanded biotics … Thane felt proud.

"Yep." Gaze lowering, she seemed to consider something as she frowned. "Guess the Phantoms dropped the ball on that one, but Ares knew, so we had warning. Just didn't do me a whole lot of good one on one against the asshole."

He shifted, suddenly uncomfortable in his chair as he further considered just how easily she could've lost the fight. "And where was Ares and Isaac while you were fighting this man?"

"Taking care of others. He had backup, too." She pursed her lips. "Another thing the Phantoms failed to either be aware of or just inform us of. Things could've been much worse if I hadn't called in Ares."

Thane didn't understand how her people could be so ill-informed or simply fail to convey such vital details to their assassins. "I see." Still, if Ares' intel proved so valuable, perhaps Thane owed him a debt of gratitude.

"I wasn't supposed to take him on alone, but … sometimes things don't go as planned." She shifted again, squeezing her eyes closed and sucking in a sharp breath.

His fingers twitched, wanting to reach out to her, ease her suffering."Indeed." He frowned, watching her struggle from so far away frustrated him. He knew there wouldn't be much he could do for her even if he went there, but at least he could try. "Did the doctor not give you anything to help with the pain, siha?"

She met his gaze again, sadness and shame in her eyes. "I can't really … she gave me something when I first got to the clinic, but it was too much …" She swallowed, lowering her gaze. "... I liked it too much."

"Ah, of course." How foolish of him. "I didn't consider …." Even when she rescued him after he'd been stabbed on the Citadel and stayed with him at his apartment, she'd asked him to keep his medication out of sight.

She shrugged her left shoulder. "Isaac's going to bring me something to drink. It'll take the edge off."

He watched her, wishing he could run his hand over her face and smooth out the tight creases along her brow. "If there's anything I can do, you need only ask, siha."

She smiled. "I know. I'm going to get off of here and try to find a comfortable position. I love you."

"And I you." He hesitated, afraid to make his request least she take offense but eventually decided the peace of mind it'd bring him was worth her ire. "Please, message me when Isaac returns so I know you're not alone."

She snorted softly but didn't argue. "I will. Night."

"Goodnight, rest well." Thane closed his omni-tool when the screen went dark.

He put his face in the palms of his hands, taking in a slow, deep breath. The sound of a door opening drew his attention, and he looked up to see Drali watching him from the hallway, head tilted to the side. Thane clasped his hands together and smiled at his brother, nodding his head to tell Drali he'd finished his conversation.

Drali made his way down the hall and slid into his abandoned chair. Glancing over his shoulder towards Kolyat's room, he turned his attention back to Thane and leaned closer, voice pitched low, "Is she alright? It looked as if she's in pain."

Thane smiled, as much as Drali's lack of manners according to drell customs could be frustrating, the genuineness of his concern warmed Thane. "Indeed. She was injured, but she will be fine."

Drali hummed. "The look on your face when you received the message earlier tonight … the way you've looked all night since then … you didn't think she'd be fine, did you?"

"I—No. I suppose I didn't. The message I received came from her colleague, informing me of the accident, and he told me she'd be alright, but …." Thane waved a hand.

"But she is the first person you've allowed yourself to love since Irikah died. Hearing she'd been hurt, and with you so far away …." Drali propped his elbows on the table, glancing over his shoulder towards the room Kolyat had yet to leave. "I'm glad Jasmine is safe, Brother."

Thane dipped his head. "Indeed, and you have my thanks for keeping Kolyat occupied, both while I spoke to her and throughout the evening. I regret I wasn't able to be fully present with him, but with you here, he didn't seem to mind."

* * *

The sound of her door sliding open tore Jasmine from a light and fitful sleep. She reached over to the coffee table, picked up her pistol, and tried to push herself upright, choking back a pained gasp. After talking with Thane, every little noise she heard made her wonder if more Blackwatch members were coming after her. Even though she suspected it was only Isaac, she readied herself for an attack, flipping the safety off her gun.

"It's me, Sunshine, relax." Isaac's rich voice filled the air, easing the coiled knot of tension in the pit of her stomach.

She groaned, pushing the safety switch back into place and setting her gun back on the table before easing back against the pillows. "We're sticking with Sunshine?"

He rounded the back of the couch and smiled down at her. "I like it, I think it suits you, but if it bothers you," he said with a shrug, "I'll stop."

He tossed an OSD on her table then scooped a hand under her ankles, lifting her feet. Sliding onto the far end of the couch, he put her feet back down on his knee. She drew her legs back, giving him more room, and pushed herself up on the pillows a little. He held out a bottle, and though clearly marked rum, she'd never heard of the brand—which knowing Isaac, meant it cost more than she paid for a week's worth of food.

Speaking of food, she didn't even know the last time she ate. "I'm starving."

He grinned at her, standing back up from the couch and headed to her kitchen. Jasmine opened her omni-tool and sent Thane a quick message while Isaac distracted himself getting her food, letting Thane know she wasn't alone anymore. After a few minutes of rummaging around, Isaac returned with a sandwich, sliced _risat_ , and a glass of iced tea. Setting the plate on the table, he helped her sit up further, adjusting the pillows behind her before handing her the plate and pulling the coffee table closer.

"Thanks." She took a long swallow of the tea before putting it back on the table and picked up the sandwich. "Where'd you find it?" she asked, nodding toward the OSD.

He sat back down and turned sideways, facing her. "C-Sec evidence. It was on Attis' body when they found him."

She snorted, annoyed by the revelation. She'd been the one to take down Attis, had been right there, if she'd stuck around, checked the body …. "Whatever connection you have in C-Sec is willing to just _give_ you evidence?"

He chuckled, shaking his head. "Not exactly."

"You snuck into C-Sec and stole it?" She lifted an eyebrow, taking a bite of the roast beef sandwich, one of the only true Earth foods found on the Citadel.

"I got it back," Isaac said, leaning over and snagging a piece of _risat_ from her plate. "That's all that matters." He popped it in his mouth and grabbed another before sitting back again.

She grunted, biting into her sandwich, taking her time chewing and swallowing. "What'd you say to Garrus earlier? The C-Sec guy at the clinic."

Isaac let out a low, heavy sigh. "More than I probably should've. I told him we were working an undercover op, and because he decided to ignore his superiors' orders, people were hurt who didn't need to be, including you," he said, turning his head to look at her pointedly. "I called one of my contacts with him standing right there and asked them to remind their officer that he'd been ordered to stand down. Then, I told him if he didn't back off, or if he blew your cover, I'd be sure to fill C-Sec in on the full extent of his insubordination and what it cost."

"You think it really would've gone much different if he wasn't tailing you?" She didn't blame Garrus for her getting shot, though she'd admit he probably forced her hand in killing Attis. Setting her sandwich on the plate, she popped the lid on her top-shelf rum.

"I think Attis wouldn't have spotted me, giving you a reason to kill him, and I wouldn't have needed to ask you for a distraction, making Remitun detour. Simtumus probably only moved into play when Attis didn't check in, which put you in a position to be on the roof alone with Remitun." Isaac shrugged, running a hand over his head. "So, yeah. Something else might've gone wrong, but we didn't get the chance to play it out and see because Garrus interfered. But, I shouldn't have said anything to him. I wasn't in a good state of mind, and when he walked in, I thought he came there to give you more shit."

She snorted, taking a heavy drink from the bottle, lifting an eyebrow at how smooth it went down. "That the 'emotional detachment' you mentioned the other night?"

He chuckled, stealing another piece of fruit from her plate. "Yeah, maybe."

She hummed, taking another drink as she mulled over the thoughts brewing in the back of her mind the last few hours. "Isaac?"

"Hmm?" He tilted his head back against the couch as he chewed.

"Do you think they really didn't know Remitun was a biotic, or he wouldn't be alone?" She picked at the label with her thumbnail.

He stayed quiet for so long, she started to think she'd made a mistake even asking him. Finally, he let out a tired sounding breath and looked at her. "They didn't need to tell me he wouldn't be alone, everyone knew I'd already know. This isn't the first time I've dealt with Blackwatch." He shrugged, tugging at one of the small, gold hoops in his ears. "I didn't mention it to you because I wanted to see you and Nemos, how you'd work together, what information you'd come up with on your own. If he didn't say it, I would've." He turned his attention to the OSD on the table. "But … I don't see how they didn't know he was a biotic, it should've been in the dossier. It might've just been an oversight, though. Happens sometimes. I'd hoped Nemos was wrong about that one."

Jasmine sucked on her teeth, wishing she believed it something as simple and innocuous as an oversight. "They seemed to really want to pin things going sideways on me."

He looked at her, gaze intense as he pulled his eyebrows in. "You think they were trying to set you up?"

She shrugged her left shoulder, still it sent a twinge of pain through her right. "You heard The Bitch. Uh, I mean Langston."

He snorted, stretching out the leg hanging over the side of the couch. "Nah, 'The Bitch' is pretty apt."

"They're never going to be happy I'm not still locked up for killing Leon." She took a heavy swallow of rum, already feeling the warmth dulling the pain. "Maybe they didn't intentionally leave out intel, but …."

 _And maybe they did._

"But she would've been more than happy if I'd agreed and said you were to blame." He nodded, pursing his lips. "Listen, Jasmine," he said, sitting up straighter as he held her gaze, "what went down with Leon, in my eyes, it's not on you. It was my choice to take you on, and I wouldn't have if I thought for _even a second_ your actions weren't justified." He shook his head and waved a hand at nothing in particular. "I'm not going to just throw you to the wolves. If they're looking for a reason to go after you, they're not going to get it from me. It's my job to protect you, to make sure while you're out there, you have everything you need to do your job and stay safe—not hang you out to dry. If that's what they want, what they expect from me, then they chose the wrong damn man."

"Yeah," she said, voice soft as she let her thoughts wander, trying to piece together shit in her mind.

"Hey," Isaac said, waiting for her to look at him again before he continued, "You did good, Jasmine. You were in a fucked position, and you still came out on top."

"If I'd been alone," she said, hating to admit the fact outloud, "I'd probably have bled out on the roof or been found by C-Sec, still alive but next to a dead body."

"If you were alone, you wouldn't have been on the roof. You probably wouldn't have been assigned someone in Blackwatch with more than a decade of experience on you, and had you, you probably would've kept your distance and taken him out with your rifle." He shook his head, stretching his arm out over the back of the couch. "Don't sell yourself short. The circumstances weren't ideal, but you took out two members of Blackwatch on your own. Hell, you should be proud. I am."

Heat crept up Jasmine's throat and face, but she blamed it on the alcohol. "Thanks." She took another swallow before returning to her plate. "So what now?"

"Now we wait for the clean up team. They'll take care of what C-Sec found, get rid of what they didn't, and tell me where to meet them to deliver the OSD." He glanced at her again. "Then, I'm getting you off the Citadel until you've recovered."

She snorted, expecting as much. "Where am I going?"

"Ferris Fields," he said.

She raised an eyebrow. "Why Ferris Fields?"

"I've got another operative there, a long-term, espionage specialist. I check in on him periodically, and it'll be a good place for you to rest." He smiled, stealing more _risat_ from her plate, convincing her that he'd really put it there for himself to begin with. "I'll have him teach you a few things while you're down."

She bit back the urge to tell him that Leon did his best to keep her separate from the other Phantoms, for everyone's protection. If Isaac wanted to have her chill with another operative, who was she to argue? "Huh. Never been to Ferris Fields."


	44. Surprising Revelations

**Surprising Revelations**

Ferris Fields sucked. And Isaac sucked for bringing her there. The colony was small and cold, and the people were too damn nosey. Or maybe, Jasmine just felt overly bitchy because she had a hole in her stomach, another in her shoulder, and no decent pain meds to help. Because of course she told Isaac not to let her have the good stuff; of course she told him she was a recovering addict.

Raúl sucked, too. At least she felt pretty sure that opinion had nothing to do with her bitchiness. The man was an ass. He gave her a quick once over when Isaac presented her to him and sniffed with enough disdain to make her want to strangle him right then and there. Still, he didn't turn her and Isaac away, which meant Jasmine got stuck working with him in his prefab office slash home during the days and sleeping in another prefab—Raúl owned—next door with Isaac at night. Which also meant she couldn't really spend her days in a drunken stupor to fight off her pain, either.

And where the hell did Isaac keep disappearing off to?

They'd been on Ferris Fields four days, and after the first two spent hovering over Jasmine and Raúl—he said to make sure they'd manage to get along without pulling weapons out on one another—Isaac started leaving them alone. At first, he just did his own thing in another room while Raúl made her do asinine research on the functionality of computers, first hardware, then software. Initially, she didn't really see why she needed to learn about hardware, what the hell did it really have to do with hacking? But eventually, begrudgingly, she admitted the jackass knew his shit and wasn't steering her in the wrong direction, even if he did make it all harder than it needed to be. He could've just as easily _told_ her those things, but no, he made her spend hours digging through manuals to eventually figure out how important processing power was for coding and hacking before making her research firewalls.

Then that evening, Isaac said he was 'going out' and stayed gone for five hours. He left again for another two hours the next morning. There it was the middle of the afternoon and Isaac was putting his coat on again.

"I'm heading out, Sunshine." He stepped into the room with her, leaning against the desk she worked at. "You need me to get anything while I'm out?"

She shook her head. "I'm good." Turning in her chair to face him, she stretched her legs out a little and rolled her sore shoulder. Truth be told, both injuries hurt far less than the day she woke up in the clinic high out of her mind, but they still slowed her down and pissed her off. "So, what? You got a secret lover in this crap hole you keep running off to see?"

Isaac smirked, shaking his head. "If I did, and he was a secret, would I tell you?"

She stuck her lip out in an exaggerated pout. "You keep leaving me here with _him_. I don't like him."

"And he doesn't like you," Raúl said, lifting his gaze up from his desk. "You're like an annoying newborn, every time you open your mouth, I want to gag you."

"Really? That's it?" Jasmine glanced at him, scoffing. "Every time you open _your_ mouth, I want to put a bullet between your eyes."

"Children." Isaac let out a heavy sigh and shook his head. "Raúl, be nice to your _sister_ , she's been shot. Jasmine, stop antagonizing your _brother_."

She lifted an eyebrow. "Thought you didn't want me calling you Dad?"

Isaac stroked his chin. "I'm more like the more attractive, better skilled, slightly older brother who can pin both of your asses to the wall if you two don't stop fighting."

Snorting, she crossed her arms. "How long will you be gone?"

He shrugged. "I'll be back to help you with the stairs later and run you through your exercises."

She nodded, dreading the exercises he'd assigned to her to help her rehabilitate her shoulder while it continued to heal. She didn't doubt he knew what he was talking about, but they hurt like a sonofabitch.

 _Note to self: Don't get shot._

Isaac left, and silence surrounded her once more as she turned her attention back to the totally insulting quiz Raúl worked up for her to take before letting her move on to anything more advanced. It only took her a few more minutes to finish, and she needed to get up and move around a little, so she figured she'd take it over to him to checkover. Pushing herself to her feet, she bit back a whine as the dull ache in her abdomen and shoulder turned into lancing pain. Standing there for a second to take a few breaths, the pain receded a little, and she picked up the datapad. Taking her time, she crossed the room to drop the datapad down on Raúl's desk, earning her a delightful glare.

Picking up the datapad, he leaned back in his chair, saying nothing as he scrolled through her answers. Turning his gaze back to his computer, he sat upright and held the datapad out to her. "Do it again."

"Bullshit, I didn't get them wrong." She crossed her arms over her chest, leaning her weight on her left leg to remove some of the pressure on her wound.

"Answers four and twenty are incomplete." He waved the datapad, still not looking at her. "You gave the what but not the _why_."

She huffed, snatching the datapad back from him. "Okay, so I'll just—"

"Do it again. It'll reinforce the knowledge anyway," he said, moving his hands back to his keyboard.

Jasmine scoffed. "Are all techies this—"

"Tired of your shit?" Voice dry, he lifted an eyebrow. "Yes."

"You know …." She narrowed her eyes, glancing over her shoulder at him as she turned to make her way back to her desk. "You're a real asshole."

* * *

Thane pulled Kolyat in against his chest and kissed his son's head. "I will call you as often as I can, you have my word." He leaned back enough to catch Kolyat's gaze. "I will be returning to Kahje in a few months for a follow up with my doctors, and I will see you then as well."

"I will miss you, Father." Kolyat blinked, tears spilling down his face.

Thane brought a hand to the boy's cheek, wiping the tears away. "And I you, my son. I love you, Kolyat. Being able to spend my time here with you has brought me great joy."

"I wish I could go with you." Kolyat's lower lip trembled before he pressed it tight against the top. "I know I cannot, and I understand. I just wish things were different."

"I know, and I'm sorry." Thane leaned in to kiss Kolyat's forehead again, he'd grown so much in the short amount of time Thane spent on Kahje, he didn't have to reach far. "I will be in transit for a few hours at least, call me tonight, after dinner, and we'll see if I can offer assistance with your homework."

Rone and Kelena pulled Kolyat out of school to say goodbye to Thane. He'd stayed two days past his discharge, spending every possible second with Kolyat, doing his best to prepare his son for his departure as well as showing Kolyat how much he meant to Thane. Rone and Kelena insisted Thane stay with them after he checked out of the rehabilitation facility until he left Kahje. It hadn't been quite as awkward as he'd thought, but still, the full house left him little privacy and few quiet moments to meditate.

He'd prepared dinner for the family the first night there, urging Kelena to sit down and relax. It was the least he could do to repay them for their hospitality. Kolyat sat at the table, and Thane helped him with his homework while cooking. A beautiful, serene moment, but it felt like a lie to Thane. He loved his son, just as he loved Rone and Kelena, but he didn't belong there, not quite so integrated at least. He didn't belong in a kitchen, cooking a meal for his family why he plotted the death of a woman he'd never met; the granddaughter of a woman who felt more like his mother than the woman who'd given him life.

The days were spent with Kolyat. They'd gone to his favorite restaurants, the theater, the gardens, and even back to Kalahira's Threshold to look at the fish. They'd spent quiet time at home, simply talking about school, Kolyat's friends, and a conflict he'd had with another student. They spoke of Jasmine a few times, and even though Thane saw Kolyat truly tried to be accepting, he still held some reservations about her relationship to his father. Thane hoped a day would come when those doubts were cast aside for good.

They all huddled together beneath the fronds of a nearby tree, trying to stay dry, the shuttle awaiting Thane a handful of meters away. Drali even came to say goodbye, but of course, Aleha stayed home with her newborn, not that she would've shown up either way.

Rone stepped forward, resting a hand on Kolyat's back, and Kolyat moved aside, wiping tears from his face. Rone reached out to squeeze Thane's shoulder. "Be well, Brother. We look forward to your return."

Thane returned the gesture and dipped his head. "Thank you, Brother. Please, if you need anything, allow me the opportunity to assist however I can."

Rone smiled, dipping his head before moving away to stand with Kolyat. He pulled Kolyat into his side, wrapping an arm around Kolyat's shoulder and spoke to him in hushed tones. Thane turned to Kelena, giving Rone and Kolyat their privacy.

The woman stepped into him, pressing her cheek to his. "I hope to see you again soon, Brother," Kelena said.

Thane's brow ridge twitched in surprise. He'd never given it much thought, but she'd never called him by anything other than his name before. He took no offense, of course, and he didn't believe for a moment it was an indication she thought less of him; he just assumed such traditions didn't hold as much importance to her as they did her husband. It only made the term that much more impactful to hear her use it to say goodbye.

He smiled, returning the affectionate gesture. "And I you, Sister."

Kelena grinned, brushing droplets of water off his jacket before going to Kolyat. The three of them waved as they turned, moving back toward the domed city, leaving Thane standing with Drali. The younger drell moved to Thane's side.

"He'll be alright, Thane," Drali said as they both watched the others walk away.

"Indeed?" Thane tucked his hands behind his back. He shifted his attention to the other drell, who turned to look at the waiting shuttle with longing. "I'm glad he has you, but I wonder if you're happy here."

Drali glanced at him. "Kahje isn't the worst place in the galaxy to be … but I do miss traveling."

"Perhaps you should take a vacation, go visit someplace new, just for a short while," Thane said, waving a hand.

"Like Omega?" Drali lifted a brow ridge.

"Omega?" Thane blinked twice, tilting his head a little. "I'm not sure I'd suggest Omega for vacation, Drali."

"No? Perhaps it's just a good place to work, then?" Drali stuck his hands in his pockets. "Will Jasmine be there to?"

Thane's mind stalled, his jaw falling loose as he realized what Drali implied. "I—no, Jasmine will not be on Omega. I wasn't aware you'd researched my itinerary." Which meant Drali was also aware Thane planned to travel under his alias.

Drali smirked, shrugging his shoulders. "I'm curious, to a fault, I've been told." He hummed, rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet. "You will go to her, yes?"

"Indeed, as soon as I am able." Thane dipped his head.

"She is good for you, and I think you for her." Drali turned his gaze back to the shuttle. "But first, you have work on Omega?"

"I do," Thane said, hoping the clipped response brought an end to the current line of conversation—and with any other drell, it would've.

"I have a theory, about what you do for a living, Thane. Do you care to hear it?" Drali kept his gaze on the shuttle as he spoke.

Resigned, Thane dipped his head again, knowing Drali saw the gesture in his peripherals. "If you wish." He didn't know what he expected Drali to say, but he hoped his brother would do the work of misleading himself, preventing Thane from having to lie.

"Perhaps it is more than a theory." Drali's gaze slid away to take in Thane for a brief moment before returning to the shuttle. "I've heard whispers, of your name, since you returned." He paused, mouth open as if considering his next words—something Drali didn't seem to do all too often. "People speak of you with awe and fear."

Thane stilled, watching the younger man, unease settling in heavily around his shoulders. It never occurred to him Drali might've actually discovered the truth. Thane wouldn't _do_ anything about it should the man say what he feared, of course, Drali was his brother—Irikah's brother, Kolyat's uncle. "What do they say?"

Drali hummed, glancing at Thane. "They say you were trained in the Compact, as an assassin for the hanar. They say you continue to practice those skills even though you've left the service of the Compact, and _you_ are one of the best."

Heart picking up speed, Thane swallowed, turning his gaze to the shuttle. "People say a lot of things, Brother." He didn't wish to confirm those rumors, even though he trusted Drali well enough to keep his secret. It brought him little comfort to know Rone knew the truth of who he was, to know his work disturbed Rone, even if Rone still welcomed him as family. However, he doubted Drali accepted the words as the dismissal they were meant to be.

Drali lifted his brow ridge again. "Indeed, they do, but not all of them are lies."

"No," Thane said, taking a slow, deep breath despite the humid air before returning his gaze to Drali, "not all." It was the best he could offer the man.

Drali smirked, turning to Thane and holding his arms opened, and Thane breathed a relieved sigh, believing he meant to leave it alone. "A shame you must go, I find I've rather enjoyed getting to know you better, Brother." He wrapped his arms around Thane when he stepped into the embrace. "Perhaps I will take a vacation, when you are not too busy with work, and come to see you and Jasmine?" He stepped back, hands holding Thane's shoulders.

"Ah." Thane dipped his head, considering the request. He wasn't adverse to the idea, but it might be difficult to schedule such a visit between Thane and Jasmine's contracts. "Perhaps."

Drali grinned, flashing his teeth at Thane before leaning in and kissing him loudly on the cheek. "For Jasmine."

Thane chuckled, patting his brother's arm. "Be well, Drali."

Drali let go of Thane and stepped back. "Be well, Thane."

* * *

"I hate you." Jasmine glared at Isaac as he stabilized her shoulder with one hand, lifting her arm up and out to the side with the other.

He gave her an infuriating smile and asked, "How's your work with Raúl coming along?"

"I hate him, too." She grit her teeth against a twinge of pain. "Why exactly are you having me work with him?"

"Why not?" He raised an eyebrow. "He's got skills you can learn, and you can't do a whole lot else right now."

She grunted and let her gaze wander down to Isaac's chest, remembering the scars hidden behind his slate gray shirt. "How long is this going to take to heal?" She glanced up to see him staring at her, and she felt embarrassed, believing he must've known what she was thinking.

He lowered her arm before rotating it and bringing it forward, lifting it towards himself, her thumb brushing against his ribs. "The Medi-gel can be removed in a couple of days. The protein fiber mesh Chloe put in your shoulder will be completely dissolved within three weeks, but it'll probably be at least another two to three weeks before you'll be ready for light active." He watched her for a second before asking, "You've never been shot before, have you?"

She shook her head. "Just grazing wounds."

Isaac hummed, falling silent while he worked her shoulder, slowly turning her arm to a palm up position and back again. "How's your pain?"

"Still hurts, but it's getting better." She shrugged with her other shoulder. "Standing is the worst on my abdomen, but laying down is worse for my shoulder—no matter how I lay."

He nodded, seeming to know exactly what she meant. Isaac lowered her arm to her side before moving over to grab the elastic strip from the counter. He stood behind her, handing her one end of the band before guiding her arm up, bending the elbow so she reached behind her back. Jasmine closed her eyes, sucking in a slow breath. The tension on the other end of the elastic tightened, and she began to pull against the band, extending her arm back up.

"Am I staying here until I'm okay for active?" she asked, half because she wanted to know and half to distract herself from the pain.

"Maybe. A couple more weeks at least, then we'll see how you're doing."

She resisted the urge to look over her shoulder at the man standing behind her. She wanted to see him as much because it proved incredibly difficult to carry on a conversation with someone she couldn't see while in the same room as it was because her training and instincts told her not to give an easy target to the assassin. Not only would glancing over her shoulder hurt, but he'd also just make her turn back around for the exercise to keep from straining something else. "Are you planning on sticking around the whole time?"

"Why, you trying to get rid of me?"

 _Yes. I want to see Thane._

"No … I just figured you have shit to do." She waved her left hand before letting it flop back down against her thigh. "Other responsibilities."

"Don't worry about me, I'm still taking care of my responsibilities." He lowered his end of the strip, adding more tension. "It's one of the perks of being a handler: for the most part, I can do my job from just about anywhere."

She fell silent, counting out the reps in her head. Finally, Isaac eased up on the band and helped her guide her arm back to her side. He moved around in front of her, stretching the elastic out between his fists, demonstrating the tension level he wanted her to use. She took a breath easing her arm back up and grabbed the elastic on either side, just inside of his grip. He let go, moving his hands to her elbows as she brought her fists together and then stretched them back out again.

She looked up, taking in his face as he watched her progress. "Isaac?" she said, and he glanced up. "Do you … do you trust the Alliance?"

He smirked, taking her by surprise. "I've been waiting for you to ask me that ever since you told me about Leon's vid." Turning his attention back to her exercises, he lifted his hands to her shoulders, gently guiding them down and back. "The short answer: not entirely. The Alliance is an organization, it's only as trustworthy as the people who run it. I don't know everyone in the Alliance, but I've come to trust some of those I do know. I've learned there are some I can't."

She dropped her gaze, finishing her reps in silence before moving on to the next exercise. Handing one end of the elastic over to Isaac as he moved to her left, she stretched her arm out to the side, locking her elbow as she started lowering her fist down toward her thigh. Bringing her arm back up, the band slid across the tender spot on her abdomen and she winced. He adjusted, holding the band further out from her body, preventing it from happening again.

"Talk to me, Jasmine," he said, halfway through the exercise, his voice soft and unobtrusive.

She closed her eyes and shook her head. She couldn't tell him about what she'd found, about Cerberus and her suspicions. Even if she trusted him not to run off and tell the Phantoms on her—which, surprisingly, she realized she did—if she told him, she put him in the line of fire, too. He'd been really good to her, it wouldn't be fair to him.

"You still don't trust me?"

She opened her eyes to look at him, brow furrowing. "It's not that."

"Because I'm your handler?" he asked, lifting an eyebrow in question.

She scraped her teeth across the edge of her lower lip, looking away from him again. "No … if I'm wrong, or even if I'm right … I don't want to put you in that position."

He loosened the tension on the band, staring at her until she met his gaze. "One time offer: anything you say to me here and now never leaves this room unless you say so, no matter what it is, on my life. If it's something I regret hearing, that's on me. I'm a grown man, Jasmine, and not your subordinate. It's not your job to worry about me, it's mine to worry about you." He held her gaze until she let out a sigh and nodded. Jerking his head toward the couch, he said, "Let's sit down."

* * *

Thane stepped out onto the docks of Omega, taking in a shallow breath, filling his nostrils with the stench that was the station. Grime and filth covered every surface of the place—and the people who called it home. He tucked his hands behind his back, clenching his fist as he took a moment to compartmentalize, tucking away the memories of his last visit to Omega. Jasmine had been right when she asked if the thread on ' _Assassins Unveiled'_ about the 'One-Hour Massacre', as it came to be called, was his doing, and just as she suspected, they were not professional kills. They were rage-fueled and filled with torture. Their blood stained his hands, and a part of him knew, given the same circumstances, he'd do it all over again.

He waited for the crowd to clear, leaving the entryway to the station empty aside for himself. Opening his omni-tool, he ran the program to check if there were any monitoring devices in the immediate area. Unsurprised to see Omega didn't add that particular security feature since his last visit, he closed his omni-tool again and pushed up onto the ledge of the wall, sliding himself through one of the partially opened windows. The entry hall was built right up against the asteroid walls, but still, he was able to squeeze between the two and pull himself up, shifting to a low crouch on top of the hall's ceiling. He held no intention of moving through the station itself, at least not where possible. The less anyone saw him, the better.

Creeping along the shaft, he moved into the shadows as the tunnel widened into the cavern where the most popular section of Omega was built. He glanced down at the glowing lights of Afterlife and the masses gathered around the nightclub's entrance, begging for the chance to be allowed inside. He already knew where Sahnira stayed while on the station, so he thankfully had no need to go anywhere near Afterlife. The place was a hundred times worse than Chora's Den, and he detested it when he needed to go there while working on the Citadel.

Climbing the infrastructure, he made his way up to the catwalks. He'd need to drop down again once he neared the taxi stand, Sahnira took up residence in the Gozu District. Although he could make his way through the current district, down through the apartments sector, and take a shuttle directly to the Gozu District, he didn't wish to risk having to share transportation with the denizens of Omega.

He made his way to the taxi stand and waited, watching as a turian and an asari climbed into a cab together and the vehicle took off, before he dropped down from the catwalks. Staying to the shadows, he moved to the next skycar in line and climbed inside, closing the door behind him. He entered his destination and sat back as the taxi lifted into the air. The skycar moved out over the barrier and dropped down over the edge, lowering him further into the mines before reentering the solid structures of the station.

He arrived at the Gozu District, three blocks from Sahnira's apartment, and the skycar settled down on the platform. Thane glanced through the window, catching sight of a few people at the far end, batarians and vorcha, but their backs were turned. He stepped out of the taxi and slipped into the shadows, leaping up to a ladder leading into the maintenance shafts. He'd be able to stay completely hidden, unless someone else entered the shafts, until he reached Sahnira's apartment, the shafts letting out just behind where she lived.

Halfway there, he stopped, voices floating up to him through the vents. He made no noise the sounds of Omega wouldn't cover, but he heard someone say Sahnira's name, so he wanted to listen.

"Is she back in the game, then?" The voice carried the heavy flanging of a turian.

"She's back, yeah," The second voice sounded batarian, but he found it difficult to be certain. "Crazy bitch."

"Did she bring any stock?" the turian asked.

"Yeah, just a couple she rode out of Kahje with, they were headed to Illium on vacation, but she convinced them to board another ship and visit Omega." The hissing, dry cough of a laugh assured Thane the speaker was, in fact, batarian. "Germak met her at the docks to help bring them in, they've taken them down below with the others."

The turian hummed. "Do we know when the collectors are supposed to show back up?"

"Nah, but we'll just hold them in the barn until they do," the batarian said, and the voices started to move away from the vents, away from Sahnira's apartment.

Thane pressed on, turning the conversation over in his mind. If Sahnira already held drell captives—and by the sound of it, other captives as well in 'the barn'—then he couldn't leave until he'd found them. If it were anywhere but Omega, he might consider passing the news on to the authorities and letting them stage a rescue, but on Omega there was only one authority, and he already knew how little _she_ cared.

Double checking his location and making certain the area was clear, he turned, lowering himself down the ladder before dropping to the ground below. Moving to the shadows, he all but pressed his back to the filthy wall and edged around the side of the building. He waited, staying in cover as people passed by. Once he felt they'd put enough distance between themselves and him, he turned the corner, already opening his omni-tool. He'd much rather enter from above, but the apartment ventilation systems on Omega were unaccommodating, and there wasn't sufficient crawl space between the ceiling and roof. It took him only a few seconds to hack through the locked door, and then he was inside Sahnira's apartment.

The lights in the small, cramped living room were off, leaving Thane in shadows. A light coming from a room down the hall told him where Sahnira was most likely located, but still he waited and listened. The soft sound of a whimper drew his attention, the sound most certainly coming from the lit room. Eyes fully adjusted to the darkness, he moved forward, first checking the kitchen on the other side of the wall next to the door to be certain it stood empty of any surprise guests.

A pained groan trickled down the hall, encouraging Thane forward. He stopped, checking the only other door in the apartment to find an empty bathroom. Glancing back down to the opened door, he kept moving, catching sight of a dresser shoved against the nearest wall, and then the edge of a bed. He took two more steps and stopped, assessing the scene unfolding in front of him.

Sahnira sat on the bed, back to Thane, with a young asari, perhaps a hundred years old. Their various states of undress might've made it clear enough the two were engaged in an intimate moment, but the look on the asari's face said something entirely different. The dark, nictitating membrane asari pulled over their eyes during a melding blocked her irises, but tears streamed from those wide eyes. Her brow pulled in, creating deep fissures across her skin, and her mouth twisted into a grimace. Clearly, whatever the two were involved in, the asari wasn't enjoying herself. She seemed to be struggling, unable to end the meld, and terrified by whatever she saw in Sahnira's mind. She whimpered again, the sound stretching out into an agonized whine.

Thane moved into the room, taking one glance at Sahnira's face—disturbed by her malicious grin, her eyes just as unseeing as the asari's—to verify she was, in fact, his target. He pulled his pistol out, the sound of it whirring to life seemed to rouse Sahnira enough for her grasp over the asari's mind to slacken, as he'd hoped. The asari sucked in a deep, gasping breath of air, throwing herself away from Sahnira, and Sahnira's head whipped around to look up at Thane, lips pulled back in a feral snarl. He pulled the trigger.

* * *

Jasmine watched Isaac, chewing on her lip, wishing he'd say _something_. Anything. But, he stayed silent, watching her, face expressionless. She abandoned her lip, bringing her thumbnail up to gnaw on instead. He shifted to the edge of the chair, bracing his elbows on his knees, pressing his clasped hands against his mouth, but still he just watched her. She let out a heavy sigh and pushed herself off the couch, using the arm as a crutch to help her get to her feet. He tracked her movements with his gaze, not offering to help in anyway.

She made her way over to the kitchen, opening the cabinet and pulled out a bottle of whiskey. She didn't much care for whiskey, but it appeared to be in abundance on Ferris Fields, rum not so much. Another reason the colony sucked. She carried the bottle back to the couch, wedging it between her knees to use her left hand to unscrew the lid. Dropping the lid on the table, she glanced at Isaac again. She took a heavy swallow, using the alcohol to both dull the pain and calm her nerves before setting it down next to the lid.

After a moment, Isaac leaned forward and picked up the bottle, bringing it to his lips. He took a deep pull of the whiskey, surprising Jasmine, before he held it in his hand and looked at the label. A few seconds later, he took another heavy drink and then set it back on the table within her reach.

"I don't even know where to start …. It's like … you opened your mouth and the list of things the Alliance could bring you in on just kept growing." He scrubbed his hands over his face. "I'm not saying I don't get it, because I do. I don't know if I would've handled it all the same way or not, but I can see why you'd be tempted to go digging deeper." He shook his head, flopping back in the chair with a humorless laugh, staring at the ceiling. "But I mean, _fuck_ Jasmine, you're killing me here."

"I shouldn't have said anything." She picked up the whiskey bottle, mentally kicking herself in the ass for being stupid enough to think he might actually see her side of things … might actually help.

"Don't. Don't do that." He sat up straight, looking at her again. "I already told you, I don't like what I heard, it's on me. Doesn't mean I regret you telling me." Pushing to his feet, he started pacing the floor, his brow slowly pulling lower and lower with every few steps.

Jasmine drank and watched him pace, opting for silence for the time being. She didn't have a clue what went on in Isaac's head, but she saw the gears turning. After a few minutes, she let out a dejected sigh and rested her head on the back of the couch, closing her eyes.

"Okay," Isaac said, drawing her attention.

"Okay?" She raised an eyebrow, confusion making her shake her head.

"Okay. I believe you." He stopped, standing in the middle of the floor to face her. "There's a connection there, and it doesn't look good." Crossing his arms, he glanced at the floor before looking back at her. "I'll help you figure this thing out, on one condition."

Stunned, she licked her lips and took another drink before asking, "Which is?"

"We do this my way." He moved back to the chair, sitting on the edge, turning a little to face her. "No more going off on your own, no more digging through secured accounts, no more divulging sensitive information about the Alliance to people _outside_ of the Alliance without my say so. I want your word. Can you handle that?"

She swallowed another drink, buying herself a minute to think. If she agreed to it, if she made Isaac that promise, she'd have to censor what she told Thane. She didn't like the idea of that at all, but she liked the idea of never finding answers—or worse, drawing attention to herself and getting killed—even less. She nodded. "Yeah," she said, and then again more for her sake than his, "Yeah, I can handle that. You have my word."

"Alright." He gave her a slow nod. "I'll tell you what I know about Cerberus, but I want to see what you've already dug up, including the messages between Leon and his father, and the ones with the admiral."


	45. Glimpse of Insanity

**Glimpse of Insanity**

"Are you hurt?" Thane asked the asari cowering in the corner on the floor.

Her gaze drifted back and forth between Sahnira's corpse and himself. She shook her head, though confusion and uncertainty, fear and pain, still filled her eyes.

He picked up the dress he thought belonged to her and draped it over the edge of the bed within her reach. Averting his gaze, he said, "Get dressed, wash your face. Make sure there is no blood on you anywhere. Then leave this place and never mention to anyone what happened here tonight. Tell no one you saw me. Do you understand?"

"Yes," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I think you saved my life. Thank you."

He didn't say anything, keeping the asari in his peripherals as she dressed. After a moment, she skirted around the bed. He turned to watch her progress as she left the room, making her way down the hall towards the bathroom. He followed, pistol still in his grip, and waited outside the door, listening to the sounds of her sobbing and the water running.

When the door opened again, the asari stepped out, hesitating as she glanced between Thane and the direction of the front door. She took two steps towards the door before stopping and turning back to him. "There are people … I saw them in her mind, locked away in the mines … she was, oh Goddess, she planned to sell them."

Thane took a step closer before he could think better of it, raising a brow ridge. "You know where they are?"

"I … I think so. I can show you," she said, moving toward him unexpectedly, hands outstretched.

Thane raised his pistol, and she stopped dead in her tracks, violet eyes filling with fear once more. "My apologies, I don't mean to frighten you, but I can't allow a melding." He lowered his gun. "Can you take me there instead?"

She nodded, so he dipped his head, holding a hand out toward the exit. He'd come back to look through Sahnira's things later, he had the opportunity to help her captives immediately, he wouldn't pass it up.

* * *

He followed the asari through the mines, the longer he stayed with her, the more uncomfortable she made him. Uncertain what exactly, but he thought something seemed off about her. Every now and again, she turned her head to the side, as if listening to something only she heard. He asked her once if she felt alright, but she only nodded.

He remembered what Alahana said about Sahnira's soul and mind being broken, and he wondered if somehow, Sahnira managed to do the same to the asari. "What is your name?" he asked, watching the shadows dance across her as she passed beneath the floodlights bolted to the asteroid.

The asari looked over her shoulder at him, blinking. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"I asked what is your name?" He studied her face, noting the complete lack of any sort of expression before she turned back the other way.

"Corlina," she said, void of any emotion, the sound echoing off the mines.

"Corlina, forgive me for prying, but what was she doing to you? You looked as if you were in pain," he asked, watching her back.

"She … showed me things I've never seen before."

"Indeed?" Thane said after a few moments of silence. "What things?"

She reached up, rubbing at her temples. "I … I don't know how to describe them. They were enormous, and frightening … and beautiful."

Thane drew in his brow, frowning at the woman's back. He was just about to ask her what she meant when she stopped, turning to point down the next tunnel. He moved closer, turning his head to look. Distracted by the door a few meters in, he almost didn't see the attack coming. He spun, biotics gathering in one hand as he brought the other arm up to block the wild blow from Corlina. He unleashed the blue fire, and it wrapped itself around the asari, lifting her off the ground and throwing her against the wall. Before she could recover, he moved to her, arm wrapping around her throat, putting pressure against the arteries carrying oxygenated blood to her brain.

She struggled for only a moment before the fight left her, and she went limp in his arms. The woman was clearly unwell, even if Thane didn't understand how or why. He laid her down on the floor of the mine and made his way to the door. He saw no sign of cameras, but he didn't take the time to run his program to check properly. Corlina wouldn't be asleep for long, if he wished to try to save her, he needed to secure her somewhere inside. He'd deal with whatever security 'the barn' might have once he dealt with the asari.

Thane hacked through the large, industrial door, and lights flicked on inside as the doors slid apart. He glanced around, immediately scanning for any new threats. Cells lined the walls to the left and right, a dozen or so of them filled with people scurrying away from the intrusion, pressing themselves against the walls furthest from the doors. A terminal occupied the far wall, along with a desk and what looked like exam tables. His stomach turned when he saw an asari strapped to one of the tables, vivisected, ribs spread and left open to the air.

Drawing his pistol, he moved into the cavernous room, his gaze barely trailing over the asari, drell, krogan, turian, batarian, humans, and salarians stuffed inside. Making his way to the back, he wanted to be certain no threats lingered, hidden beyond site from the door. He almost wished he hadn't because, tucked back in a corner, discarded like refuse, he found a pile of rotting bodies. The massive fans above the heap did little to remove the foul odor once he'd come close. He brought a fist to his mouth and coughed, moving away from the stench.

Buckets and jars sat on a nearby table, filled with various organs, some removed with a surgical precision while others appeared ripped from their bodies. Used tools lay scattered across a rolling table, blue, violet, and red blood splattered across the surfaces. Steeling himself, he reached out and touched the arm of the asari strapped to one of the exam tables. Still warm.

Thane moved to the console, finding the controls to open individual cells and unlocked one not currently occupied near the entrance. On his way back past the cells, a few prisoners brave enough to steal a glance at him cried out to him, banging on the glass to get his attention.

He stopped, in front of the cell with the two drell he'd heard the batarian and turian talking about earlier. "I—I'm going to get you out of here." He glanced around, dread and uncertainty filling his mind. What if the captives were just as ill as Corlina, as Sahnira? He couldn't just let them out, not until he felt certain it was safe—for his sake as well as everyone else's they may encounter. "I'm going to find a doctor. I'll be back as quickly as I can."

The woman began to cry when he stepped away, and the sight of her tore at him, so he pulled his battle sleep back around him and did what he must do. He left the room, stepping outside to lift Corlina into his arms and carried her to the open cell. Laying her down on the bare floor, he closed the door behind him, making certain it locked. Then, he walked out of 'the barn', relocking the nightmare room on his way out.

* * *

Thane watched the doctor from the dark recess of the clinic, standing in a hall, filled with crates and void of lighting. Age showed plainly on the salarian's weathered face, his right horn broken down to a nub. Still, he moved with an alertness and grace that spoke of the STG training Thane heard rumor of.

"No, no, no. Dextro samples must be kept separately." Dr, Solus waved his hands erratically as he spoke to the asari helping him sort through vials. "Told you twenty times already. Cross contamination between dextro and levo samples ruins validity of research! Go. Go see if Malcolm needs assistance."

"I'm sorry, Professor," the asari's cheeks darkened as she turned, hurrying out of the room.

Dr. Solus let out a heavy sigh, and then, quite unexpectedly, he drew a pistol and pointed it dead at Thane, not even looking. "Come out now."

Lifting a brow ridge, Thane stepped out of the shadows, hands tucked behind his back. "I mean you no harm, doctor."

Dr. Solus sniffed, the sound almost disdainful as he finally turned to look at Thane. "Know who you are. What you are. Saw you on Omega before; mess you left behind. What do you want? Why are you here?"

Thane sucked in a deep breath, wishing for a moment salarians didn't have eidetic memories just as drell. They were lucky, however, they didn't have to deal with the intrusions of unwanted memories forcing themselves back into reality. They might remember the details, but they remained blissfully detached. "I require the assistance of a doctor, I am told you are the most skilled on Omega."

Dr. Solus eyed Thane, scanning him from head to toe. "Not injured. Sick?"

"Not for me, for others," Thane said. "If you would be so kind as to lower your weapon, I will gladly explain."

Dr. Solus narrowed his eyes for a moment, but eventually did as Thane asked, lowering the weapon but not putting it away. "Explain."

"It is of a sensitive nature, might I come closer?" Thane tilted his head, bringing his hands out in front of him to show the doctor he held no weapon.

Dr. Solus jerked his head once, so Thane approached, stopping when the salarian shifted, one foot sliding back as if he prepared to brace for an attack.

Dipping his head to the doctor, Thane said, "Thank you. There is a room in the mines filled with cells. There are people inside, captives taken to be sold to the collectors …." He hesitated, gauging the salarian's response to his mention of the collectors, but the salarian only blinked and nodded for him to continue. "My … target was one of those responsible for their capture. I located her tonight in the midst of a melding with an asari. I received warning of my targets … mental instability, but I now have reason to suspect some sort of contagion caused her condition. I believe she passed this on to the asari who began behaving oddly. I fear those kept prisoner might also be ill."

Dr. Solus blinked a few times, studying Thane without expression. Finally, he holstered his weapon and opened his omni-tool, scanning Thane. Thane lifted a brow ridge but didn't protest, understanding why the doctor might find it necessary, given what he just told the salarian, even though it was traditionally something a doctor would ask permission for, first.

"Detect no contagion." Dr. Solus lifted his gaze to Thane, closing his omni-tool. "Recent treatment for Kepral's Syndrome. Triheptate or heptaphine?"

"Triheptate." Thane found the doctor's question as intrusive as his scans, but he wished to move things along. "Will you help?"

"Triheptate good, best choice. Can provide additional treatments if needed while on Omega." Dr. Solus turned his back to Thane, walking toward the main door to the lab. "Wait here."

Thane sighed, moving back to the shadows of the darkened hall and waited. A few minutes later, the doctor returned, knapsack slung over his shoulder, and headed straight for Thane's location. Stepping into the hall, Dr. Solus extended his hand toward the back exit, apparently intending for Thane to take the lead.

Thane chuckled. "STG, indeed. Very well." He turned, leading the doctor through the door.

* * *

Thane took them through the mines in a taxi, having overriden the automatic controls. Lowering the skycar just outside of the door, he drew his pistol, unsurprised when the doctor did the same. Dr. Solus took up station on the opposite side of the metal frame from Thane, nodding to him as he opened his omni-tool and met the doctor's gaze, prepared to hack through the door.

The lights were still on inside, or rather had come on again. Movement from within drew Thane's attention, and he spotted two armed turians, a batarian, and an asari at the far end of the room. He pressed himself against the metal frame, watching as one of the turians shoved a human into a cell. The other turned towards the noise of the door. Whether or not they were also ill seemed irrelevant, they were slavers, and they were armed.

Thane pulled biotic energy into his fist, stepping inside long enough to throw a Warp at the turian already lowering an assault rifle. Dr. Solus ducked out, firing off two rounds at the turian writhing on the floor, body bent at unnatural angles. The asari flared with biotic energy, and Thane fired at her, shot ripping through her skull, killing her instantly, before he pressed his back against the doorframe once more. Bullets hit the wall and the doorframe behind him, filling the air between himself and the doctor with deadly projectiles.

"Impressive," Dr. Solus said, turning out from cover to fire again once the shots slowed.

The corner of Thane's mouth twitched with amusement as he pulled biotics into his palm once more. Leaning around the edge when he heard a pause in the returning gunfire, he released them in a Throw, hitting the batarian half hidden behind one of the prisoner's cells, lifting him into the air. Dr. Solus hit something on his omni-tool, and a moment later a ball of flame flew towards the batarian, catching the slaver on fire on contact. Thane saw Incinerate in action a few times before, a devastating tactic, undoubtedly useful, if garrish.

Turning out again, he fired on the second turian who stepped out of cover at the same time, opposite of where the batarian had hid. Just as his first shot hit, doing little against the turian's armor, a blast slammed into his target, freezing the turian solid a second later. Startling and certainly something Thane had yet to see before, he took full advantage. Firing at the frozen turian, his third shot completely shattered the man, sending chunks flying, skittering across the floor.

He redirected his focus to the movement of the batarian and first turian, both gravely injured but still pulling themselves off the floor, reaching for their weapons. Dr. Solus stepped over the threshold, firing off two quick shots into each man, and their bodies collapsed back to the floor. Admittedly, Thane was glad he'd not been sent to kill the salarian, although such a challenge might've proven interesting.

Thane followed him inside, stopping in front of a cell, the asari inside glaring at him with hate-filled eyes. "This is Corlina. She's the one who melded with my target." He glanced over his shoulder as the doctor came to stand next to him. "When I arrived, she appeared to be in pain and struggling to end the meld. She seemed terrified, crying. She broke free when I distracted the target and then led me here through images she saw in the target's mind. On the way here, she began acting strangely, as if listening to something I couldn't hear. She seemed distracted and confused, when I asked her what the target showed her, she said 'I … I don't know how to describe them. They were enormous, and frightening … and beautiful,'" Thane said using her exact words and mimicking her inflection. "When we arrived, she attempted to attack me, so I put her in here."

"Help me, please?" she said, turning her attention to Dr. Solus. "This man is crazy, I don't know what he's talking about!"

Dr. Solus sniffed, turning his attention to Thane. "Where is target? Dead, presumably. Still, should study subject."

"I left her in her home to come here, these people are still alive and need help," Thane said, waving at the rows of cells filled with prisoners.

"Concern for living unusual for assassin." Dr. Solus turned, heading toward the consoles at the back of the room. "Last time tortured targets, complete disregard for wellbeing. Examined corpses, methodology skilled, maximized for suffering."

"Those were … unusual cases." Thane followed the doctor, tucking his hands behind his back.

Dr. Solus glanced over Thane before he activated the console and began looking over the files. "Subtle expression of shame, words chosen with caution, undertone of grief, body language suggests habitual restraint. Targets slavers known to attack hanar colonies. Kills were personal; revenge. Slavers took someone close to you. No … too simple; too much anger in techniques chosen. Ah, slavers—"

"Doctor," Thane said, holding up a hand, voice harsher than intended. "Please, I'd rather not discuss the matter."

Dr. Solus looked up, blinking, before offering Thane a soft smile. "Of course. Sorry for your loss. Need to call in assistants, other doctors. Records indicate prisoners in acceptable health. Malnourished, injured, likely during capture, no illness. Still, should set up quarantine. For asari especially. Species of target?"

"Drell." Thane tucked his hands back behind him.

Dr. Solus turned his gaze to the files on the console again. "Drell captives to be kept separate as well. Will need to see target, examine body, scans of brain perhaps."

"Ah … that might be difficult." Thane tilted his head in apology when the doctor looked at him again.

Dr. Solus blinked. "Scans of remaining brain tissue."

* * *

Thane watched from the doorway as the doctor moved around Sahnira's cooling body. Dr. Solus scanned her completely with his omni-tool before moving on to scan and take samples of the blood and brain matter from her body and around the bed. He hummed to himself as he worked, a tune Thane was unfamiliar with.

"Will call assistant to help transport body back to clinic." Dr. Solus stood, capping the last vial of his samples before sliding the tube into a pouch at his waist.

"No, I will assist." Thane stepped forward. "There are still things here I need to see, and I prefer to not be disturbed … nor associated further with her death."

Before Dr. Solus' called in his people, Thane had set up a link between the console in 'the barn' and Theodus, asking his contact to gather what information he could about Sahnira, the collectors, and her intentions. Then, he'd moved further into the mines to watch and wait while others arrived at 'the barn' to help the doctor. He'd been concerned more hostiles might show up, those working with Sahnira, and attack the other doctors and aids, but Dr. Solus seemed to believe it wouldn't be an issue. The salarian disappeared for about a half hour, while his people worked to prepare the captives for transport, when he returned, he'd given Thane a small device and told him it'd allow him to pass through 'without triggering explosives.'

Dr. Solus sighed but didn't argue, opening his bag and pulling out a plastic wrapped square. When he opened it, the material inside responded to the air, expanding, telling Thane the object had been vacuum sealed. The doctor shook it out, and Thane recognized the shape of a bag used to move corpses.

Laying the bag out on the bed next to Sahnira, Dr. Solus glanced up at Thane. "Move lower half." He then pressed clotting sponges into the holes left in Sahnira's head, undoubtedly to contain further blood loss, making the job less of a mess.

Thane slid his hands under Sahnira's thighs, just above her knees. "You will treat her with respect?" he asked, meeting the doctor's gaze. "Her death was necessary but regrettable."

The salarian sniffed, brow ridge lowering a tick as he put his hands under Sahnira's shoulders. "Am doctor. Treat all patients with respect. Even dead patients. Ready? Lift."

Thane lifted, and together they shifted the body to the bag, tucking in her extremities before Dr. Solus sealed her away. Thane hefted the bundle into his arms, following the doctor back through the apartment and waited until Dr. Solus waved him toward the skycar, giving him the all clear. The salarian opened the door, pulling the seats up out of the way and helped Thane maneuver Sahnira inside.

Backing away from the door, Dr. Solus opened his omni-tool. "Send any data to this account. Might help further. Private details will be kept confidential."

Thane's omni-tool vibrated against his wrist, and he dipped his head at the doctor. "Thank you, Dr. Solus."

The salarian rounded the vehicle, opening the driver's side door. "Happy to help." He ducked inside, closing the door behind him.

Thane watched as the skycar lifted into the air, disappearing around a corner before he went back inside. He took his time, wandering through the apartment, taking in what little the place contained. Sahnira hadn't been back on Omega for long, and before her arrival, she stayed on Kahje—just released from prison. He assumed the woman didn't own much, and all of what she did, he saw there in the small apartment.

A desk in the corner of the living room drew his attention, and he sat down. Opening Sahnira's private laptop, it took him a minute to hack through her security. Interesting, her computer was more secure than her apartment. He dug through the files, most of it seeming entirely inconsequential, until he found a folder titled 'Enkindlers'. He opened the folder, taking his time studying the first picture within.

The image was of a species he'd never encountered, the collectors, he presumed. Bipedal, they appeared insectoid, an exoskeleton of sorts coving much of their unclothed bodies. The thick, dense ropes of red seen where the plates failed to cover looked suspiciously like bared muscle, but it couldn't be. Four, glowing eyes were situated nearly horizontally on the sides of the face. He saw no readily apparent nasal passages, though there was the impression of a nose, nor did he see a clearly defined mouth amidst the hard, chitinous plates covering the head and face. Their legs, digitigrade much like a quarian or turian, ended in two, claw like toes, but their hands showed three fingers. Apparently, they were capable of flight, as the image caught one of the collectors with wings spread, feet beginning to lift off the ground. They all carried weaponry Thane never saw before, though he easily recognized the background as Omega.

He closed the image and moved on to the next, breath catching in his throat as he easily recognized the face of Council Spectre Saren Arterius talking with a collector. The turian's mandibles were pulled in tight against his face, one hand flung out to the side, clearly irritated. The next image showed Saren looking straight at the camera, mandibles flared. In the picture after that, he moved towards whomever took the photograph—Sahnira, Thane presumed—body language promising violence.

The next file in the folder wasn't an image, but a vid. Thane started the video before propping his elbows on the desk, resting his chin on top of his clasped hands. The images came filtered through an orange glow, as if Sahnira started recording and closed the omni-tool without stopping the program first. It made it difficult for him to see much of the surroundings in detail, but he felt relatively certain she lay on a bed in a medical facility of some sorts.

A few seconds into the recording, an asari matriarch stepped into view, looking down at Sahnira with a cold smile. "Yes, you will do well." She turned her head, looking at someone off-screen. "Tell Saren I am taking this one to the amplification sphere. Once her indoctrination is complete, she will be reassigned to aid the collectors."

"Yes, mistress," a feminine voice said, presumably one of the matriarch's maiden followers.

The matriarch's gaze shifted. "You two, carry her."

An odd, computerized stuttering filled the speakers and then a moment later a figure moved into sight.

Thane leaned back, brow ridges lifting with his surprise. "Geth?" He recognized the mechanical platform of the quarian's AIs easily enough, having seen images created by quarian targets, if not the geth themselves.

The vid shifted as the geth released Sahnira from her binds, the woman's fearful whimpering and pleading filled the room. They dragged her from the medical facility and into halls made of sheets of dark metal, passing by other asari and geth along the way. Several twists and turns later, the geth carried Sahnira into a cavernous room, empty save for a giant, glowing sphere, too bright to look at for long, suspended in the air.

"I have been told this hurts worse if you fight," the matriarch said from somewhere off-screen.

The geth dropped Sahnira, and she fell in a heap, giving Thane the first real glimpse of her face. Sobbing, she seemed to cower, hiding her face in her arms as she stayed down on the floor. Through the omni-tool, Thane saw the geth and the matriarch retreat, closing the door behind them. Within moments, Sahnira's sobbing turned into shrieks, the sound digging into Thane's head. The orb began to glow brighter, filling the room with its overwhelming light, a strange, uncomfortable sound resonating through the air. Thane cringed, turning down the volume, but he needn't have bothered, a moment later the vid cut out.

* * *

He stared at the laptop's desktop, shaken enough by everything he'd seen, his battle sleep abandoned him completely. There were more images of the collectors and their victims. Images of people strapped down to the examination tables in 'the barn' eyes still very much alert and alive, filled with terror and agony, even as their insides were on display. What Sahnira hoped to find inside of those people, he had no clue, but it seemed clear she searched for something. But nothing more of Saren, the matriarch, or the geth. Nothing more of the room with the glowing orb.

Sweet Arashu, what did they do to Sahnira? How many other people had they done the same to? _Why_ were they doing it, and _why_ were the geth helping them? Did the Council know its favored Spectre was a part of something so atrocious? Did Saren do those things at the Council's bidding? Who else knew about this, and why wasn't it being stopped?

He needed to tell someone with authority, but who? And how would he possibly explain having come upon the information? Dr. Solus was once in the STG, surely he kept contacts within the organization. Perhaps he might have some idea of how to proceed that wouldn't risk exposing Thane, Alahana, or any of his contacts. He forwarded the contents of the 'Enkindlers' folder to Dr. Solus, attaching a note which said, " _Someone should be informed of this. I'm afraid my contacts would be of little use in this instance. Perhaps there is someone you know with the authority to take appropriate actions? I doubt it needs to be said, but my involvement in this discovery must be kept secret."_

Then, as a precaution, because there was no way he'd walk away from the contract without knowing something would be done, he called Theodus. "I'm establishing a connection to a personal laptop. There is a file on here called 'Enkindlers', I want you to make a copy of it and keep it secured for later access. Is this a problem?"

Theodus barely met Thane's gaze, his focus on something else on his screen. "Not at all, do you want me to look through the folder for anything?"

"No … not yet." Thane shook his head, rubbing a hand over his face. "What have you found from the other console?"

"Mostly just reports on various subjects and a list of reasons why they weren't acceptable to the collectors—who, you realize, she seems to think _are_ the Enkindlers?" Theodus lifted a brow ridge, tilting his head to the side. He waited for Thane to dip his head in acknowledgment before he continued, "Apparently the collectors have very particular requirements in who they will accept. Currently, they appear most interested in acquiring two-dozen left-handed salarians, but it appears they will take other specimens who meet other equally bizarre requirements. There is nothing to suggest what they want them for, but it does seem they return to the Omega 4 Relay with their new prisoners." He trailed off, shaking his head. "So, the collectors aren't just a myth … and they might somehow be the descendants of protheans?"

"Indeed, it seems they are not myth." Thane took a deep breath. "As for being descendants of the protheans … I've seen no evidence to support this claim that I'm aware of."

"If this is true, and the hanar find out …." Theodus trailed off, brow ridges raised.

Thane rubbed at an ache forming at his temple, the sounds emanating from the sphere in the room still resonating in his head. "Indeed, I have reason to believe they may already suspect it to be true."

Theodus drummed his fingers on his desk. "I'm still sifting through the data, I'll compile a report for you as soon as I'm finished. Establish the connection to the new access point, and I'll download the folder."

"Thank you, Theodus." Thane dipped his head.

"No need to thank me, between you and Jasmine, my bills are covered for the next year." Theodus grinned at Thane before moving his hands back to his keyboard. "I'll let you know when I'm finished."

Thane cut the call before placing another. He didn't know how to tell Alahana what he discovered, but he knew she deserved answers. He bowed his head when she answered. " _Nara_ Stelak, I must speak with you in private."

"Rah'kira is here with me, I assume this is acceptable?" Alahana asked.

Thane looked up, meeting her gaze. "As you wish." He hesitated, choosing his words carefully so as not to sound calloused. "I have done as you asked, Sahnira has gone to the sea. My condolences, _Nara_ Stelak."

The old woman let out a mournful sound, lowering her gaze. Her shoulders shook, and when she looked at Thane again, tears fell from her eyes—the first he'd ever seen from her. "Thank you, Thane. I will take peace in knowing her suffering has ended."

Rah'kira moved into view, resting a hand on Alahana's shoulder. His lips pressed into a thin line as he looked at Thane, dipping his head. Thane returned the gesture, grateful the man was there with Alahana to help ease her suffering.

"There is—I looked into some things, her activities here on Omega. I've uncovered some very disturbing images and a vid recording on her laptop which might provide you with some answers, but I fear they will bring you only heartache and more questions." Thane hesitated, lowering his gaze again. "I confess I had difficulty viewing them myself."

"Send them to me," Alahana said, squaring her shoulders when he looked up at her again.

Thane tilted his head to the side, studying his old denmother. " _Nara_ Stelak, are you certain?"

Alahana closed her eyes, taking in a shallow breath, her voice softer when she said, "Send them to me, Thane. I need to know what happened to my granddaughter."

He bowed his head to her. "Very well, as you wish."


	46. Sleep Disturbances

**Sleep Disturbances**

"The First Contact War was already over by the time I joined the Alliance, but we were still recovering from it all. Still trying to wrap our heads around the fact not only had we definitely found we aren't alone—as in living, breathing aliens and not just ancient artifacts on Mars—but there was a whole galactic civilization we never even dreamed of finding." Isaac ran a hand over his head, swiping it from back to front a couple of times. "Still reeling from the devastating blows we received from the turians, and trying to figure out where we fit into it all."

Jasmine watched him, sitting as still as her aches and pains allowed while she listened. It took him so long to start talking after he said he'd tell her what he knew, she didn't want to interrupt and risk him changing his mind.

"Hell, it's a part of what made me decide on the Alliance." He reached for the bottle of whiskey she held in her hand, so she passed it over to him. He took a drink and gave it back. "We don't hear about it much anymore, but our transition wasn't exactly smooth. There were a lot of people who wanted to wall ourselves off from aliens, didn't want to be a part of their societies, didn't want to adapt to the Council's rules and regulations. Some folks wanted to retaliate against the turians, keep the war going …."

He trailed off, dropping his gaze to the floor in front of his feet. She shifted a little, trying to ease the throb in her abdomen, but kept her gaze on him. He sighed, propping his elbows on his knees and scrubbed his hands over his face. She'd never really thought about it before, she was so little during the First Contact War and relatively safe on Earth. It didn't really affect her, didn't really touch her life beyond the fear she felt around her from adults. Isaac, though, he was … what, eighteen when the war happened? She wondered where he stood on all of it back then. If it encouraged him to join the Alliance, maybe he was one of those who didn't want to be involved with the galactic civilization, maybe someone who wanted to keep the war going …. She couldn't really see it in him, though. Maybe he just wanted to do something to help keep people safe.

After nearly a minute of silence, he started talking again. "Anyway, Cerberus popped up right after the war. Someone—the Illusive Man, I guess—released an anonymous manifesto on the extranet. It talked about the alien threat to humanity and encouraged people to build an army to guard the Charon relay, calling it a Cerberus, like the three-headed dog in Greek Mythology that guarded the gates to the underworld." He glanced at her. "You know?"

She nodded, taking a drink of her whiskey. "Yeah."

"The press picked it up, and it circulated in the news for a little while, but it was eventually brushed off and forgotten." He waved his hand for her bottle, so she passed it to him. The conversation must be really putting a strain on him, he normally wasn't much of a drinker. "But then, a few years later is when the attack on the _SSV Geneva_ you found out about happened, and the man they were able to arrest claimed Cerberus was responsible. After that, they started cropping up in the news more and more for all kinds of crazy shit."

"Like what?" she asked when he passed the bottle back to her.

"Abductions, assassinations, sabotaging eezo ships and making them crash on colonized planets, maybe even Earth." He tilted his head to the side, lifting his shoulder up to meet it in a half-assed shrug. "We'd only just learned about the connection between eezo exposure and biotics after some accidental exposures, pregnant women started giving birth to biotic babies … but you also got some people like me."

She furrowed her brow, trying to make sense out of the statement but coming up empty-handed. "What do you mean?"

"People who weren't born biotic, but developed it later after a secondary exposure. My parents lived on Mars when my mom became pregnant with me." He stood and started pacing, the movements slow and relaxed, not agitated the way he'd been when she first told him about her research. "They didn't know it at the time, but there were caches of eezo on Mars. Doctors think there must've been enough residual eezo on the surface to pass through the placenta and enter my nervous system, but not enough to bring about biotics." He waved his hand. "They moved back to Earth in her second trimester. I didn't develop biotic abilities until after an eezo ship crashed in Singapore—family vacation—when I was twelve. Though, we're pretty sure that one was a genuine accident."

 _Singapore on family vacation. I kinda want to hate him._

He stopped pacing and leaned against the wall, crossing one ankle over the other and shoving his hands into his pockets. "Anyway, we weren't far from where it went down, and that night I started running a really high fever. Scared my mom and dad to death damn near, they took me to the hospital, and it was there my biotics first manifested. I was terrified, with all the doctors poking and prodding me. My fever was so high, I was delirious. I lashed out … threw a doctor across the room."

"Damn," she said, arching her eyebrows. She could only imagine what it must've been like for him, hell, he probably thought he was dying. Thinking of Isaac as a scared little boy made her want to get up and go give him a hug, but he'd probably just laugh. It was long ago, something he'd undoubtedly more than dealt with.

"Yeah. So, I ended up spending the rest of my childhood struggling to get them under control." He shrugged, as if it were really no big deal, and it made her wonder if he'd done so in response to something he saw in her eyes. "They developed a training program for the kids who were born biotic, but by then, I was already in the Phantoms. I got implanted with an amp, though, as soon as they passed regulations." Shaking his head, he huffed. "I got real lucky, the implants turned out to cause a lot of problems in other people. I've heard stories about them making people insane, burning out their brains … all kinds of things."

Her eyes widened, fear tugging at the corners of her mind even as some distant part of her questioned when exactly she came to care so much about the man that the thought of him being hurt scared the shit out of her. "Jesus Christ, can that still happen to you?"

"Nah," he said, turning down the corners of his lips and shaking his head, "I upgraded to the L3, which was a risk in and of itself, but … my family could afford the best doctors."

"Right." She heard the sour note in her own voice, but if he caught it, he didn't react.

"So, anyway, Cerberus intentionally created more human biotics. Thing is, not everyone exposed in utero became biotic." His brow furrowed, anger filling his eyes. "For some people, nothing happened at all but others got real sick. There were a lot of stillborns, other kids were born with tumors or other disfigurements."

The muscles along Jasmine's shoulders tensed, making her injuries protest with a sharp pang. She'd heard about some of the terrible things he talked about, but she never thought for even a second those crashes might've been deliberate, pregnant women exposed on purpose. She took another drink of whiskey, making the mental effort to relax her tight muscles before her shoulder really started to ache.

"They didn't stop there." Isaac watched her, pursing his lips. "You already know about Cerberus abducting asari to experiment on them with biotic suppressants, but I met someone, a man named Aresh—bat shit crazy—but he said Cerberus held him in a facility as a kid." He pushed off the wall, moving back to his chair and held his hand out for the bottle of alcohol. "I couldn't make much sense of what he said, and I was on a job, so I couldn't really dig into it too deep, but he made it sound like they had a lot of kids there they were running experiments on … torturing, trying to enhance their biotics." Tilting his head back, he took a heavy swallow. "He talked about a girl he called Subject Zero. He said everything they did to him and the others was to test it out before giving it to this one girl." He took another drink before handing it back. "Something happened one day and she got free, killing damn near everyone in the place with her biotics—including the other kids—while escaping."

If it was true, if any of it was true, and the Alliance allowed such crazy shit to happen, especially the stuff about the kids … Jasmine understood perfectly well why Leon expected her to let go of her loyalty to the Alliance. Still, she didn't feel so sure the Alliance would be involved with torturing kids. She just couldn't wrap her head around it. Even the intentional exposure, after knowing the potential side effects, didn't really seem like something the Alliance would support. But it did carry a certain, disquieting ring of truth.

She licked her lips, stamping down her building rage. "Do you believe him? It sounds like something Cerberus would do from everything else I've heard …."

He took a deep breath and ran his hand over his head again. "Yeah … yeah, I do," he said, his words starting to sound a little slurred.

She pursed her lips and sucked on her teeth. "It's hard to see the Alliance supporting experiments on kids …."

" _If_ the Alliance does have some ties to Cerberus," he said, meeting her gaze again, "it doesn't necessarily mean they're involved with this in specific."

"So … how do we figure out the truth?" She held his gaze, pinning him in place with sheer will. No way in hell was he going to tell her all of that and then walk away from it. No way in hell she'd ever let it go. "You're running the show now, what's the plan?"

* * *

Jasmine sat at her workstation at Raúl's. He'd given her a port scanning program, a list of EP addresses, and a series of commands to run before leaving her to it. She felt pretty sure at least half the shit he made her type in manually didn't need to be, but she was done with complaining. And asking him what the fuck things like 'nmap', '-h', and '-v' meant—network mapper, help, and verbose—especially when all he'd do is toss another manual on her desk and tell her to look it up herself. Her mind wandered to the conversation she had with Isaac the night before, making her mess up and have to ask Raúl to help her fix it more than once. The last time he stuck around, lingering by her desk, looking over her shoulder like some weirdo creep.

She ignored him, continuing her work, moving from port to port manually and recording the scan results. When one packet returned as filtered, she sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose before picking up the manual to search for the meaning. It didn't take her long to figure out a filtered message meant packet filtering kept the probe from even reaching the port destination. Curious, she kept reading, trying to figure out what might cause filtering, but it mostly just lead her back to the info on firewalls she'd only skimmed last time to get the gist of what she needed to satisfy Raúl.

He shifted, leaning against her desk, reminding her he was there. Smirking, he crossed his arms over his chest when she glanced up. "What did you learn?"

"Shut up," she grumbled, setting the datapad down and recorded the scan results. She sighed when he laughed, moving away from her desk again.

She dove back into her work, scanning each port on the list. The hours ticked by in relative silence, the monotony of her task making each second drag. She nearly whimpered with joy when the door slid open and Isaac walked inside. She glanced at the time, just to make sure he didn't show up early, before flashing a grateful smile at the man. Taking a look at her list, she pouted to see she'd only made it maybe a third of the way through, which meant Raúl would expect her to start back on it in the morning.

"Hey, Sunshine, you ready to go?" Isaac perched on the side of her desk, hands resting on his thighs.

"Yeah, just give me a second to close this down." She halted the program and saved her recordings before locking the system as per 'Raúl's Rules'—seriously, he'd posted them next to her desk as if she were a five-year-old. Pushing her chair back, she took a breath to work up the courage to stand after so long sitting, and hoisted herself up. She glanced down at the datapad containing the manual she'd been reading before picking it up and looking at Raúl. "Hey dickhead," she said, grinning when he actually turned her way in response, "I'm taking this with me." She thought she saw him stamp down a pleased smile, and she rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, yeah."

Isaac chuckled, pushing off the desk to help her get her coat on. "Raúl, come have dinner with us. We need to talk."

Jasmine groaned, not even caring if she sounded like a petulant five-year-old. "Aw, come on, I've been stuck with him all day."

Raúl lifted an eyebrow but gave Isaac a curt nod. He ran his hands over his keyboard before pushing away from the desk. Without a word, he left the workspace of the prefab and made his way back into his living area. A moment later he came back out with his coat on and nodded towards the front door.

* * *

When Isaac first told Raúl that they needed to talk, the gears in Jasmine's head started turning. He'd told her he planned on taking charge of the Cerberus slash Alliance love affair investigation, but surely he didn't mean to bring Raúl in on it.

Yes, yes he did.

She listened with growing horror, her lips pressed into a tight, thin line, as Isaac laid out for Raúl exactly what he wanted the operative to look for and where. To Raúl's credit, he didn't flinch away from the idea of hacking into the Alliance's systems, nor Cerberus'. He didn't ask extraneous questions, didn't mutter a single 'why'. He took everything Isaac told him—which really wasn't all too much, at least—with complete aplomb. It made Jasmine wonder about the man's loyalty, where exactly it laid, because clearly it wasn't with the Alliance. Or, at least, not enough to make him question his orders as she thought it should.

She felt grateful Isaac chose to keep her part in the whole mess private, at least for the time being. She didn't trust Raúl. Not just because she didn't like him personally, but because she didn't really know him all that well. Isaac apparently did, though, so she'd have to just put her trust in him. Raúl glanced at her, and she saw the curiosity and doubt in his eyes. He probably wondered the same things about her as she did him.

"You'll share whatever you find with Jasmine and myself, no one else." Isaac scraped his fork over his plate, gathering up the last of his rice.

"With Jasmine?" Raúl raised an eyebrow.

"Is that a problem?" Isaac glanced up as he raised his fork to his mouth.

"Of course not." Raúl turned his attention back to his plate, but it was clear he didn't like the idea of having to report _anything_ to Jasmine.

It brought a smile to her face.

Isaac snorted. "You two really should give each other a chance, you've got more in common than you might think."

"I find that highly unlikely." Raúl glanced at her again before turning his attention back to Isaac. "She's a whining child."

"She's whining because she's been shot and can't take any pain pills." Isaac looked up, holding Raúl's gaze. "You know what being shot feels like, but you had pain relief. She doesn't."

Raúl snorted, lifting a forkful of salad to his mouth. "So get her something, maybe then I'll be able to tolerate the sound of her voice."

Isaac shook his head. "She doesn't want them, she's got her reasons."

Raúl turned his gaze back to her, turning his bite of food over slowly in his mouth, understanding dawning in his eyes in the most infuriating way. "How'd you get shot?" At least he kept it to himself.

Jasmine glanced to Isaac for guidance. She wasn't used to spending time around other Phantoms who weren't her superiors, she didn't know what she should or shouldn't tell the man. Isaac jerked his head in a nod.

Pursing her lips, she turned her attention back to Raúl. "I was following a member of Blackwatch, he ambushed me on a roof. Hit me with a Reave and then shot me."

Raúl's eyebrow twitched as he watched her, seeming to mull over the information. "Assault rifle?" He waved his fork at her shoulder and then lower down, indicating her abdomen hidden behind the table. "You favor both locations, shot twice, pretty well aligned. Not lethal, though. His aim was off, or you moved in time."

"Yeah," she said, sticking her fork into her porkchop and cutting off a piece. "Kinda hard not to move when it feels like your insides are being ripped apart."

He grunted, turning his attention back to his plate, and that ended the conversation.

After dinner, Raúl helped Isaac clear the table and do the dishes. She heard the two of them talking quietly at the kitchen sink, but she couldn't make out anything they were saying. Which was fine, it was probably something she was better off not hearing anyway. She clenched her teeth to stifle her groan and pushed herself up from the table before making her way to the couch and picking up the manual she brought back with her from Raúl's.

* * *

The next morning she found a datapad, a glass of water, and a bottle of pills sitting on her desk when she got to Raúl's. She narrowed her gaze, anger waring with the sudden spike of craving as she looked down at the bottle. She glanced over her shoulder, but Raúl wasn't around. If putting narcotic pain pills on her desk after last night's conversations was his idea of a joke, she'd kick his ass, even if it tore open her wounds in the process. Picking up the bottle, fingers already trembling with her wavering self-restraint, she sucked in a slow, deep breath and turned it over in her palm to see the label.

 _What the fuck is halgraven?_

She raised an eyebrow, setting the bottle back down and picking up the datapad, ignoring the momentary flood of disappointment. With the press of a button, the screen started to glow, showing her a medication specs sheet on halgraven. Pulling out the chair, she eased herself down and started reading. Apparently it was a non-narcotic pain medication produced from plant compounds discovered on Ferris Fields. It claimed to be as potent as hexaline but non-habit forming and with none of the wonderful, mind-haze inducing side effects. Potential side effects included stomach upset, sleep disturbances, arrhythmia, and allergic reaction.

 _Fantastic._

Raúl walked into the room, and she turned her chair, watching him until he met her gaze. Once she'd captured his attention, she held up the bottle and arched an eyebrow in question. He didn't say anything, just moved on to his desk, pulling out his chair and sitting down before logging on to his computer. She turned back around, scrolling down to the bottom of the specs sheet to look at the dosage chart. Pursing her lips, she opened the bottle and tore off the hermetic seal. Might as well give them a try. She shook one of the pale, blue pills out in her hand and popped it in her mouth, washing it down with the water.

"Thanks," she said, unlocking her console.

"If it saves my ears from your whining, it's no problem," he said, and then, before she could retort, he added, "I'm almost in the Alliance's systems. I should have something for you in a few hours."

She turned her chair again to look at him, lips parted for a few seconds before she actually spoke. "You're really okay with this?"

He glanced up. "With what?"

"What Isaac's having you do? Breaking into the Alliance's systems, spying on the people who sign your paychecks."

Raúl leaned back in his chair, propping an elbow on the armrest and held his chin on the palm of his hand, index finger tapping against the side of his face. "I don't know the people who sign my paychecks. I know Isaac, and I owe _him_ everything. I'm here because _he_ took me in, encouraged me to join the Phantoms. If he says there's a reason to suspect a connection between the Alliance and Cerberus, and he wants me to help him find it, why would I say no?"

Surprised by his words, curiosity got the best of her and she asked, "Why do you owe him everything?"

"What were you addicted to?" He arched his eyebrows at her when she furrowed hers and lifted her lip in a sneer. "What, you're done with the personally invasive questions already?"

She sucked her teeth, turning her chair to face him fully and crossed her arms over her chest. Fine. She could play that game. "Red sand, mostly."

His lip twitched, contempt flashing over his eyes. "I got caught hacking into the UNAS federal reserves when my partner screwed up. He ran, left me to take the rap. I was looking at a long list of charges that would've seen me die in prison. Isaac stepped in, suggested to the Alliance that my skills made me a valuable asset. He worked with me personally …" He swiveled his chair back and forth. "... got me clean."

"Clean?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Stims," he said, voice just as dry as always.

She snorted, shaking her head. "And yet you want to judge me for having been an addict?"

"A _red sand_ addict." He waved his hand dismissively. "My addiction was accidental, I had a legitimate use for the stims, but it got out of hand. I wasn't chasing a high or pretending to be a biotic, I was trying to stay awake to stay alive."

She rolled her eyes at his self-righteous attitude. "Neither was I, not at first. I was an orphaned kid doing whatever I could to stay alive on the streets and keep myself from spiraling into a suicidal depression." She watched him for a moment, soaking in the regret in his eyes even if he didn't give voice to it. "How did staying awake keeping you alive?"

"I was on the run from bounty hunters hired to bring me in dead, I was suspected of murdering someone _influential_. And before you ask, yes, I did kill them, yes, I had a good reason, and no, I won't tell you about it." He took a slow breath before asking, "How'd you end up in the Phantoms?"

"I got clean and told an Alliance recruiter I know that I wanted to enlist. The Phantoms scouted me in basic, I liked what they offered." She cocked an eyebrow. "Why were you hacking into the UNAS federal reserves?"

He scoffed. "It's the federal reserves, does it really need more explanation? Did Isaac train you?"

"No, he's only been my handler for the last couple of months." She shifted in her seat, surprised to find the medication he'd left for her already starting to help. "What were you planning to do with the money, smartass? Pay off the bounty hunters?"

"With some of it, yeah. Otherwise … just live and _not_ be poor." He shrugged. "Why'd they give you a new handler?"

"I shot the last one." She smirked, throwing his words back at him as she said, "And before you ask, yes, I did kill them, yes, I had a good reason, and no, I won't tell you about it." She picked up the water and took a swallow, watching him over the top of her glass before asking, "What happened to the bounty hunters?"

"Isaac made the problem go away. I don't know the details. I don't _want_ to know the details." He brought his ankle up to rest over the opposite knee. "Does Isaac know you killed your last handler?"

"Of course." She lifted her uninjured shoulder in a shrug. "Why'd you decide you didn't like me the second you laid eyes on me?"

Raúl turned back to his console. "I'm in their system, better get to work. Don't you have ports to finish scanning?"

* * *

Isaac pulled a chair in from the other room, turning it backwards to straddle it, draping his arms over the back. Jasmine sat next to him, still stunned and trying to piece it all together as Raúl repeated to Isaac everything he'd already told her. He'd found files on an outsourced experiment called 'Project Evolution' being funded by the Alliance, there was no description of _what exactly_ the project was, but the files spoke of several 'failed trials' and the approval for a new trial to begin 'pending T.I.M.'s agreement to contractual terms'. The files spoke about the families of the participants of the 'failed trials' having been notified of their loved one's 'death in the line of duty'. It wasn't conclusively linked to Cerberus, but with experiments leaving behind a body count, it sure sounded like Cerberus. Not to mention, 'T.I.M.' could easily stand for 'the Illusive Man'. And … it sounded like the Alliance sent in their own soldiers as test subjects.

"Damn," Isaac said, scrubbing his hands over his face. "Alright, keep looking. See if you can find anything else on this project, and cross reference it with whatever you find from Cerberus." He pushed himself up from the chair. "But that doesn't mean stay up all night working, either."

Raúl nodded, turning his attention back to his console, effectively dismissing Isaac and Jasmine from his notice.

"Come on, Sunshine," Isaac said, turning to her. "How about we get the Medi-gel off you?"

She blinked, taking a minute for her mind to switch gears. "Yeah." She pushed herself up, a slight groan escaping her lips as the motion tugged at her injuries. The second dose of halgraven already started wearing off; she grabbed the bottle from the desk and stuck it in her pocket.

"What's that?" Isaac held her coat out for her, helping her work her injured arm in through the sleeve.

"Something Raúl gave me. Halgraven?" She slid her other arm in.

"You actually using his name now? That's good." He tilted his head, eyeing her. "Haven't heard of halgraven. You okay with it?"

She snorted, handing him the datapad with the med specs."You are _so_ the dad."

* * *

 _Eyes watched her from the shadows, she felt them on her, like ants crawling over her skin. Biting, burrowing, digging around inside of her. Voices whispered out of the darkness like ghosts haunting her, judging her, blaming her. Their deaths were her fault, their blood on her hands. She ran, desperate to get away, but they just followed her, always right there beside her, calling out her name._

 _Fingers reached out, scrambling to find purchase on her, like demon's claws, tangling in her hair and gouging at her skin. She screamed, jerking away only to be caught by another snare, a hand wrapping around her throat. She fought, lashing out at her attackers, but her fists found nothing but empty air. Another hand shot out of the nothingness, this one easily recognizable as a turian's, and their talon dug straight into the flesh of her shoulder, another piercing her side, and she screamed again. She tore herself free, blood flowing from her wounds in thick streams, but she ran._

 _Children whimpered, begging for her help, but she couldn't see them, and she couldn't risk stopping to search for them. Something was after her, and she knew if she stopped, it'd kill her._

" _You sure you can trust him, love?" Leon's voice echoed through the darkness. "What if he's in on it? What if he's with Cerberus? Can you really trust anyone?" He stepped out of thin air, standing a few meters ahead of her, bullet holes dripping black blood at a sluggish pace, thick, rotten looking._

 _She stumbled to a stop, nearly crashing down to the ground as she pinwheeled, pulling herself upright. "Leon …." Her heart slammed against her ribs, fear, anger, and grief tearing at her insides._

" _They're going to come looking for you, you know? They're going to kill you just like they did my dad." Leon shook his head, making droplets of blood fall from the wound in his head, plopping down onto his shirt in clotted globs. "You should've let it go. You didn't give a shit what I had to say before you killed me, why would something I said matter so much after I'm dead?"_

 _Thane stepped out of the shadows, a wide smile on his face. "Siha." He started walking toward her, but Leon lifted a gun, aiming it right at the back of Thane's head._

" _No!" She lunged forward, but it was like her feet were stuck in thick mud, each step taking all of her energy, costing her precious seconds._

 _Leon pulled the trigger, and Thane disappeared in a puff of smoke, reappearing behind her dead handler, reaching out and snapping his neck. She barely had the chance to breathe a sigh of relief before dozens of human hands reached out, grabbing Thane and dragging him into the darkness. She screamed, collapsing to her knees only to keep falling, the abyss opening up to swallow her whole._


	47. Confrontation

**Confrontation**

It took him two days to track his siha, he'd known she'd left the Citadel, but not where her handler took her. They'd had very little opportunity to speak between his contract and her near constant supervision. He knew Isaac stayed in the same prefab as her—which helped him to narrow his search down to colonies—and she studied with another operative nextdoor during the day—which encouraged him to focus on human colonies. She didn't tell Thane the other man's name, only complained about 'the asshole' making her do menial work and talking down to her. It would've offended him for her sake if he couldn't tell she was actually learning new skills, and she admitted to being callous towards the operative herself.

He remained uncertain about how they'd manage to find time together on Ferris Fields. His presence in the human colony wouldn't go unnoticed or unremarked for long. He stood beneath a tree, watching the building in the soft glow of moonlight, finding it painful to know she was so close, yet unable to go to her. Out of curiosity, he'd scouted around the prefab and checked the level of encryption on the locks, unsurprised to find it far surpassed anything Jasmine used on her own. Still, it wouldn't take him long to hack through it and be inside should the need arise.

He considered sending her a message to let her know he'd arrived on Ferris Fields, but with her handler being a 'mother-hen' as she described him, it was unlikely she'd be able to come to him. Besides, with her injuries, she needed her rest. He'd wait until daylight, until he had the chance to better plan where he would stay and how to see her without drawing her handler's attention.

A muffled scream broke the silence of the night, and Thane took a step forward, adrenaline dumping into his system as he recognized the sound of her voice. Another scream, and he bolted for the door, opening his omni-tool as he went. He didn't wait for the lock to fully decrypt, forcing his way through as soon as the mechanical locking mechanism disengaged, it'd alert whomever encrypted the lock, but at the moment, it seemed irrelevant.

He stepped over the threshold, pistol raised. Something slammed into his wrist, knocking his weapon from his hand. Pulling his biotics into his palms, he spun, lashing out at the threat with a Warp only to have the dark energy deflected with raw biotics. The darkness provided Thane with little more than the silhouette of a tall, human man and his heat signature—more than enough for Thane to launch an attack. Fingers folding into a fist, he struck out, but the man stepped out of the way and countered, throwing a blow with his left hand only to follow it up with a low strike with his right.

Thane danced out of reach, circling the human as he pulled more biotic energy into his fists. The man did the same, his own biotics swirling around him, casting shadows on his face. He moved with Thane, trading blows, each deflecting the other's with increasing difficulty. The man moved with a precision Thane rarely saw in anyone, even those raised as assassins in the Compact. Bringing his arm down, he knocked aside a kick aimed for his thigh and lashed out with a palm strike to the man's chest, only to have the human turn out of the way, slapping Thane's hand aside as he moved.

A frightened scream tore through the air, the sheer terror in Jasmine's voice drawing both Thane's and his assailant's attention. He needed to get in there to her. The man recovered from the distraction faster than Thane, striking out again. Thane twisted out of the way and dropped low, sweeping out at the man's legs, forcing him to jump back and give Thane a little space. The wash of moonlight filtering through the curtains, disturbed by the man's movements, showed Thane where his pistol landed. He rolled across the floor, scooping up his gun as he moved back to his feet. The sound of another gun whirring to life filled the air as Thane turned, leveled his weapon on the silhouette, and pulled the trigger. The man already started moving, though, biotics flaring to life and creating a bright streak as he dove out of the way, throwing the dark energy at Thane.

He barely had enough time to fling out a ball of raw, unshaped energy to deflect the biotic attack, sending it off course. The biotics diverted less than a meter before bursting into the spinning, gravitic well of a Singularity. The tug of the Singularity pulled at him, but it wasn't close enough to drag him in. He turned to face the man, backing away to put some distance between himself and the dark energy hanging in the middle of the room. The man's gun-arm lifted, and Thane rolled out of the way, a bullet ripping into the metal of the prefab's wall centimeters away.

When he got back to his feet, the human rushed him, and Thane moved into the assault. He brought his arm up, using it to push away the man's fist aimed at his face. Bringing his other arm around, he shoved the muzzle of his pistol against the man's abdomen only to feel the cool metal of a gun under his own chin. A light turned on in the room, flooding the area with a sudden brightness.

Thane blinked against the harsh glare, his opponent's face coming into view for the first time. He gasped, memories crashing against the walls of his mind. "Winter?"

"Krios?" Winter said, brow furrowing in confusion.

"Shit," Jasmine's voice filled the stretch of silence.

* * *

Neither of them so much as twitched their gazes in her direction. Her heart slammed against her chest, she felt frozen in place for insanely long seconds before adrenaline got her moving forward, the ache in her stomach and shoulder be damned. She sat her gun down on an end table as she passed by. "Isaac, wait." She reached the men, still locked together like two bulls by the horns. "Isaac!" She said again, voice taking on a panicked bite as she put a hand on his arm. "Please."

"Isaac?" Thane's gaze flicked to her before moving back to the man holding a gun under his chin. "This is your handler?"

"You _know_ him?" The incredulity, the accusation in Isaac's voice made her cringe.

The front door slid open, and Raúl peered around the edge of the doorframe before leveling a pistol at Thane.

 _Fuck's sake._

"Raúl, no!" Jasmine held her hand up and out towards the other Phantom, praying he wouldn't do anything rash.

His gaze flicked back and forth between the three of them, assessing the situation before landing on Isaac. "Orders?" he asked, voice calm, as if he walked into an armed standoff between his handler and a strange drell every night of the week. At least he didn't have an itchy trigger finger.

Isaac didn't look away from Thane, but neither did he answer the man. " _Jasmine_! Do you know this drell?" he asked, enunciating each word with strained emphasis.

"Yes," she said, tugging on his arm a little. "Isaac, please. He's not here to hurt anyone, I swear."

"You were screaming." Isaac furrowed his brow, still not looking at her. "Who else is here?"

Raúl moved in her peripherals, stepping fully inside, gun still raised as he edged around the room. Her head jerked towards him, and she gave him a warning look, suddenly wishing she hadn't been so quick to put her own gun down. She shifted, using her body as a shield between Raúl and Thane, not that she thought Raúl would hesitate to shoot right through her if Isaac gave him the order.

"It was just a nightmare, no one else is here." She tugged at Isaac, starting to feel desperate enough to go get her pistol. Even though she knew it'd kill her—maybe literally—to point her gun at Isaac, for Thane …. "I didn't even know he was here."

Raúl kept moving until he had a line of sight into Jasmine's room. He peered around the edge of her door frame before ducking inside, coming back out a couple of seconds later. "Her room's clear."

"Please, just …." She turned her gaze to Thane, her voice pleading when she said, "Please, all of you, just put your guns away."

Thane took a shallow breath before slowly lowering his weapon, though he didn't holster the gun. Isaac's jaw twitched twice, but he took a step back, dropping his arm until his pistol pointed at the floor. She let out a heavy breath, hair fluttering around her face.

Isaac took another couple of steps back, glancing at her for the first time. "There better be a damn good explanation as to why _this man_ , of all people, is coming in here in the middle of the night."

She'd heard them say each other's names when she turned on the light, but it really didn't register until just then it meant they knew one another. The implications were daunting. She glanced at Raúl to see he'd lowered his weapon as well, and she let out another heavy breath.

"I heard her screams, as well," Thane said, turning his attention to Jasmine. "I thought you were in danger, siha. My apologies, I didn't intend to cause you trouble."

" _Siha_? How the hell do you two know each other? And why should I believe you haven't taken a contract on her?" Isaac sounded seriously irritated, making Jasmine avoid looking at him. "Or me for that matter?"

Thane's brow ridges pulled in and down, clearly affronted. "I would never take a contract on her, and I didn't know _you_ were Isaac."

Isaac scoffed. "I'm supposed to just believe you?"

"Oh for Christ's sake." She huffed and moved between the two men, turning to face Thane.

He looked down at her, meeting her gaze, eyes softening. She reached up with her left arm, wrapping her hand around the back of his head and tugged him down to her. He offered no resistance, and she pressed her lips to his as his arm slid around her waist to pull her against him. She didn't get the chance to really savor the feel of the man she loved in her arms, or taste his tongue on hers, before Isaac let out a scathing bark of laughter.

"You've _got_ to be kidding me," Isaac said.

Jasmine broke the kiss but stayed there, looking into Thane's dark eyes, brushing her thumb over the frills of his cheek. When she spoke, she directed her words to Isaac, "Put your gun away, Bossman. This man loves me and would put my life before his." She turned, keeping herself between Isaac and Thane, to meet Isaac's gaze, putting a little steel in her spine and voice. "And I'd do the same for him without second thought."

Raúl let out a low whistle.

Isaac's jaw twitched again, stare pinning her in place, making her hold her breath. After a few seconds he lowered his gaze and shook his head, holstering his weapon. "Stand down, Raúl."

"Thank you." She watched Raúl put his pistol away before she glanced over her shoulder. "Thane?"

"As you wish, siha." He slid his gun away under his jacket before moving his hand to the small of her back.

Isaac moved to the chair and sat down, rubbing a hand over his face before brushing it across the top of his head. He looked back up at her. "How long has this been going on?"

Raúl moved to stand behind Isaac, leaning against the partitioning wall. His stance seemed relaxed enough, but Jasmine knew he stayed alert, still watching Thane's every move.

She reached behind her, taking Thane's hand in hers and led him to the couch, stopping to pick up her pistol on the way. Sitting down, she tugged at him to urge him to sit with her. "I met him a little over a year ago on the Citadel, we were both going after the same target. We started talking after that, and a few months later, it turned into something more." Her gaze flicked to Raúl before moving back to Isaac. "It's his contact who helped me look into Cerberus."

Isaac shook his head again, propping his elbow on his knee and pressed his forehead into his palm. Thane shifted a little beside her, and she glanced at him, surprise painted across his face as he lifted a brow ridge at her—probably because she just inadvertently told him she'd confessed her extracurricular activities to her handler. She shrugged her good shoulder and turned her attention back to Isaac.

"You didn't mention him when you told me about the Cerberus thing," Isaac said, gaze still lowered.

"I _love_ him, Isaac." She knew he'd understand the weight of her declaration.

"You told him my name?" He looked up at her, hurt clear in his eyes. "As soon as you said my name, he knew I'm your handler."

She fought back the urge to wince but lowered her gaze, she couldn't stand seeing the look of betrayal in his eyes. "I'm sorry. It didn't even occur to me …. I trust him, completely. I didn't mean to disrespect you in any way, I just shared a piece of my life with the man I love."

"Perhaps I should leave, Jasmine?" Thane asked, voice low, intended only for her even though it was loud enough for Isaac to hear.

Isaac looked up, his gaze moving straight to Thane. "No. I don't think so. Not until I understand exactly what the hell is going on here, Krios."

"Krios? As in _the_ Krios?" Raúl tensed, standing up a little straighter.

"Yeah, that's him." Isaac leaned back in his chair and pinched the bridge of his nose.

Jasmine furrowed her brow, looking back and forth between Isaac and Raúl before turning her gaze to Thane, who pressed his lips into a tight line and lowered his gaze. She swallowed and looked back at Isaac. "How … how do you know him?"

Isaac scoffed, bringing a hand up to touch one of the bullet wound scars on his bare chest. "He killed one of my best contacts, and then he shot me."

* * *

Thane bit the tip of his tongue, fighting back the instinct to give voice to the events of a night ten years before as the memory forced its way forward once more.

 _I watch the asari through my scope from the rooftop. Scents of Thessian night-blooming flowers fill the air as the breeze shifts. I adjust, taking the strength of the wind into account and reach for the laser sight. A man walks up. Human, tall, dark skin. Leans against the railing next to T'Varan. I pause, waiting for him to look away before turning on the laser sight._

 _Red paints a target on blue. I pull the trigger. T'Varan falls._

 _I start to move but stop, the human's actions catching me by surprise. He doesn't flee, doesn't look around with confusion, doesn't bend down to lend T'Varan aid. Instead, he draws a weapon, his gaze turning up to search the rooftops. I pull back into the shadows before he can locate me, collapsing my sniper rifle._

Thane lifted a hand to his mouth, coughing gently into his fist, forcing the memory away. "I … accepted a contract on an asari. She stole information from the hanar—names and locations of agents of the Compact and sold them to the Shadow Broker. Winter showed up just before I took my shot. He intercepted me as I left my staging grounds … we fought, and I eventually knocked him unconscious."

It'd been an unusual contract. The hanar sent other assassins, those still in the Compact after T'Varan, but they'd been unable to track her down. It surprised Thane when they reached out to him, but with what was at stake, he couldn't deny the contract. By then he'd already established himself in the freelance business and created a network of contacts throughout the galaxy, including a salarian named Harbow Raelota who was exceptionally good at finding people in hiding. Regrettably, Harbow was old and went to the sea two years later.

"I started tracking him the second I woke up," Winter said, picking up the story, "and caught up with him not far from the docks." Although his words seemed directed at Jasmine, the man's dark gaze barely left Thane for more than a fraction of a second. "But then he disappeared, just walked into a shadow and never walked out again. A minute later he drops down from nowhere and shoots me. Doesn't say anything, just shoots me and walks away again, leaving me to die."

"It—I only intended to wound you, slow you down and throw you off my trail." Thane waved his hand, dismayed to learn his intentions that night weren't obvious. "I had no reason to kill you, it wasn't a lethal shot, but I couldn't allow you to continue to pursue me."

Silence fell as they continued to watch one another. After a moment, Winter narrowed his gaze. "You're Saman Naol," he said, not as a question but as if he simply needed to give voice to his conclusion.

Jasmine scraped her teeth over her lip and nodded to her handler when Thane glanced at her. She swallowed, defiance flashing in her eyes despite her dilated pupils—his venom must be affecting her. "But it doesn't change anything about Leon's actions or his death."

Thane reached for his pocket to retrieve the small bottle of supplements he'd started keeping with him whenever he intended to be around Jasmine. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the movement drew her handler's attention back to Thane, and Winter flared with biotics, the man behind him starting to draw his weapon once more. Jasmine's fingers wrapped around the pistol in her lap, and she started to raise her gun towards Raúl.

Hand darting out, Thane pushed her wrist back down. "Don't, siha," hee said, his voice gentle, hoping to ease the tension he saw coiled inside of her, and she hesitated, turning her gaze to him. He stroked his thumb across the back of her other hand, still clinging to his, and offered her a soft smile. Turning his attention back to Winter, he said, "My apologies, I'm only getting something for Jasmine. Something to counteract the effects of my venom. She doesn't … respond well otherwise, particularly when her emotions are heightened."

"I'm alright," she said. "At least I will be if everyone stops acting all jumpy."

The man's brow twitched, his gaze turning back to Jasmine, eyes widening. "Shit," he whispered, biotics dying down. He pushed himself to his feet and moved to squat down in front of her. "Look at me, Sunshine." He frowned when she turned her gaze to him, concern pulling his features into tight lines. "Christ …." He looked at Thane again. "What do you have?"

 _Sunshine? That's … interesting._

Jasmine snorted, rolling her eyes which seemed to make her sway a little. "It's not that bad, _Dad_. I know what to expect with it now. It doesn't hit me the same way other stuff does." She smiled at Winter, and Thane saw the affection in her gaze. "It's not going to make me relapse, alright?"

Thane produced the bottle of supplements and handed it to Winter, pushing aside the revelation of the depth of Jasmine and her handler's … bond for later consideration. Winter took one look at the label and nodded, popping it open and digging past the protective cushion to pull out two of the pills. He closed the bottle again and gave it back to Thane.

"Humor me," Winter said, easing her pistol out of her grip. He sat the gun down on the table before taking her hand in his, pressed the pills into her palm, and glanced over his shoulder. "Raúl, get her a glass of water, please."

The man didn't say anything, only let his weapon drop back into his holster and left the room.

"Sure." Jasmine turned the pills over in her hand. "I keep a bottle of them in my bedside table, too, if it makes you feel better."

"It does." Winter pushed to his feet, turning to take the glass of water from Raúl when he returned. "Do you need another dose of halgraven?"

She brought her hand to her mouth, scraping the pills off her palm with her teeth and nodding before washing them down with water. Winter cast a weighted glance at Raúl before moving around the couch towards Jasmine's room. Raúl settled back in against the wall, watching Thane, his face expressionless. Winter returned a moment later and handed Jasmine another bottle before sitting back down in the chair.

Thane broke the silence. "I have no quarrel with you." He glanced from Winter to Raúl and back again. "With either of you. I have no contract here, and neither will I ever speak of your presence here to anyone else. You have my word. I only wish to be with Jasmine."

* * *

Jasmine watched Isaac, the halo glow surrounding him a little disorienting. Despite the venom playing tricks on her vision, her head seemed relatively clear. She figured she had her dread to thank for it. She took slow, deep breaths, anchoring herself in the feel of Thane's hand in hers. She trusted Isaac, but she knew she'd pushed his trust in her to the limits. He could turn her in to his superiors, but she didn't believe he'd do that. He could still try to kill Thane, settle their old score, but it didn't really seem like his style either.

"If my presence here will cause her trouble, however …." Thane trailed off, glancing at her.

"No." Jasmine said tightening her grip on his hand. "Don't leave." She turned her attention back to Isaac. "Please, don't tell him to leave."

Isaac stood up again, running his hand over his head, pacing a few steps before stopping to look at her. "I need a minute alone with you." He jerked his head towards the bedrooms. "Come talk to me in the other room."

She nodded. "Yeah, okay." Pushing herself to the edge of the couch she sucked in a deep breath and locked her jaw against the oncoming pain.

Thane slid an arm around her and stood, helping to pull her to her feet. She took a moment to enjoy his proximity, leaning into him and resting her face against the warmth of his exposed scales above his vest. He made a soft purring sound, vibrating through his chest, and brought a hand to cradle the back of her head. She smiled and tilted her head back to look at him, and he ducked down to give her an all too quick, chaste kiss.

She pulled away, taking careful, slow steps towards Isaac who held his arm out to her. He waited for her to cross the meter to where he stood before wrapping his arm under her left arm and around her back, pulling some of her weight over onto him. He led her to her bedroom, probably just because it was closer, and eased her down on the edge of her bed before closing the door. She watched him in silence as he started to pace again.

Finally he stopped and looked at her, waving his hand at the foot of her bed. "Mind if I sit down?"

She shook her head. "Go ahead." Sucking a deep breath in through her nose, she asked, "So … how bad is this?"

He sat down on the foot of the bed and turned, drawing his knee up onto the mattress to face her. "You have the right to your private life, Jasmine. Even if I'm seriously beginning to question your sanity." He softened the blow with a weak smile. "I'm more concerned with what you've told him about the Phantoms."

She gave him a soft huff of a laugh and shook her head. "Not a lot. He learned some on his own after we first encountered each other." She shrugged her good shoulder, minimizing the impact of her next statement. "He, uh, followed me to Chora's Den and listened in while I made my report to my liaison. I didn't know, didn't expect him to follow me. We talked after that and pretty much agreed to stay out of each other's way."

Okay, so it wasn't _exactly_ how the whole thing went down, but Isaac didn't really need to know all the embarrassing details. He didn't need to know how Thane beat her to her target, knocked her on her ass, and then helped pull her back through the ceiling so she didn't get caught next to dead bodies or have to kill someone innocent. He certainly didn't need know she'd made the stupid mistake of forgetting drell produce venom and drank after Thane, spending the night thinking the walls were breathing. She lost focus, forgetting what she was talking about when Isaac sighed, the movement drawing her attention to his expanding chest. Her gaze caught on his scars, which seemed to be shifting, like caterpillars, wiggling their way little by little across the surface of his skin.

Isaac made a soft snorting sound and snapped his fingers in her face. "Eyes are up here, Sunshine."

She blinked a few times, trying to clear her head and met his gaze. "What was I saying?"

He chuckled, shaking his head. "You were telling me what Krios knows about the Phantoms."

"Right," she said, rubbing her eyelids, as if it would stop the hallucinations. "By some freak accident, we both ended up going after the same target again, maybe a month later. Guess the Citadel's a lot smaller than it seems." She looked at Isaac again, raising her eyebrows and opening her eyes wider, trying to force reality back into focus. "I got to the target first that time, and it upset him, so he started looking into me. He learned my name and found out I'm in the Alliance through one of the duct rats."

Isaac sucked in a deep breath. "What else?"

"Much later, I told him Leon's name, and we traded a few stories about our jobs. I think that's about it, really. Well, until you released me, and I went to him. I told him I'd been locked up somewhere on Earth and interrogated by Langston, but I only ever called her 'The Bitch.'" Jasmine smirked. "And I told him I had a new handler, but I didn't tell him your name until after we were on the Citadel, and even then, just your first name in conversation. And I guess he's heard us call Raúl by name tonight. All I've said about Raúl is you're having me work with him on tech stuff and he's an asshole."

"That's it?" He cocked an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I think so." She furrowed her brow, trying really hard to recall if she'd ever told Thane anything else about the Phantoms. "I mean, I don't remember every conversation we've ever had. I told him about Leon's video, and he helped me sort through the emails his contact got ahold of."

"And you trust him, I mean, really, really trust him?" Isaac leaned toward her a little. "You didn't completely trust Nemos, yet you let him stay with you …."

"I do." She nodded, regretting the motion when it made the room seem fifty times brighter. "More than I think I've ever trusted anyone, except maybe Geoffrey and his family."

He jerked his head back a little in question. "Geoffrey, he's the one who took you in?"

She closed her eyes again, pinching the bridge of her nose, wishing the supplements would kick in. She turned her gaze back to Isaac, grateful to see the room's lighting returned to normal. "Service Chief Geoffrey Williams. He's the reason I enlisted … and he knows what I do."

The effects from Thane's venom seemed relatively mild compared to other times, but then again, they'd barely kissed. The only bothered her just then because she knew the moment with Isaac was an important one, and she didn't want to fuck it up because she was tripped out on drell venom.

Isaac didn't flinch away from the news, instead he just bobbed his head in the odd way of his. He opened his mouth as if about to say something but then paused, meeting her gaze. "Jasmine … I think Krios is married."

She winced and gave him a soft, careful shake of her head. "He's not, not anymore."

"You sure?" He raised his eyebrows, tilting his head to the side. "How do you know?"

"Please don't ask me to tell you his secrets, Isaac." Her shoulders slumped, letting her body language convey how torn she felt between the two of them. "I know I've damaged our trust here, but please just trust me in that I know he's not."

After a long moment of silence, Isaac nodded. "Alright. You really love him?"

"Yes," she said simply.

"He's good to you?" He pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes.

She smiled, indulging herself in a chuckle, despite the twinge of pain. "Far better than I probably deserve."

Isaac let out a deep breath and leaned back, pressing his palms into the bed behind him. "Sunshine, I need to know if there's anything else you're hiding from me. I can't have you keep throwing me through loops like this."

Tucking her hands between her thighs, she thought about it for a few seconds. "Nothing else is coming to mind, but if something does … I'll tell you. I promise." She waited for him to nod before asking. "Are we still good?"

"Yeah, we're still good. I get why you didn't tell me about your boyfriend, that in and of itself is a non-issue. It's just shit luck he happens to be Thane Krios." He shook his head. "I'm not going to hold our history against you, and from what I've seen of the guy, he seems pretty honorable. Especially for a freelancer. Just don't expect me and him to be friends anytime real soon."

She grinned, excitement and relief flooding her. "So he can stay?"

"Here?" Isaac pointed down, raising his eyebrows. "Shit, that's up to Raúl, it's his place, but if you legitimately believe Krios doesn't have a contract on any of us, and he's not going to have an issue with me … I guess I can handle him being around."

"Thanks, Bossman." She reached out, dropping her hand down on his knee. "You know, you're probably better than I deserve, too."

He snorted, pushing himself to his feet. "I'm better than anyone deserves, but still, you get to take this up with Raúl." Holding a hand out to her, he helped her back to her feet.

She groaned, leaning into him as they walked to the door. "But he likes you so much better."

"That's besides the point." He stopped walking and glanced down at her, smiling. "You remind me of Annabelle."

"Annabelle?" She raised an eyebrow in question.

"My baby sister. Always making the craziest choices." He pursed his lips out far enough for his top lip to fold up and touch the bottom of his nose. "Mmm. I let you get away with just as much, too."

She grinned, slapping her palm against the door's release control. "That your way of saying you love me, Bossman?"

He glanced at her again, smile shifting to a smirk. "Nah, it's my way of telling you if you don't stop being such a pain in my ass, I'll end up using a Singularity to hang your ass from the ceiling and leave you there."

She laughed, punctuating it with a groan as she brought her hand up to her side. The halgraven started to help with her pain, but laughing was still off the table. He lead her back out to the living room where Thane and Raúl remained, exactly where they were a few minutes before. They stared at each other, Thane with his hands tucked behind his back, Raúl leaning against the wall. She broke away from Isaac, moving a little better on her own thanks to the halgraven, and made her way to Thane, looping her arm through his.

* * *

Thane shifted, wrapping his arm around Jasmine's shoulder, and she snuggled in against his side. He tore his gaze away from Raúl to look at Winter as he approached.

He stopped in front of Thane and held out his hand. "Krios."

Thane hesitated less than a second before shaking the man's hand, pleased to see the tension absent from his brow and around his eyes. Thane dipped his head. "Winter."

Winter turned his attention to Raúl. "I'm going back to bed. Jasmine has something she wants to ask you. Play nice you two."

Raúl smirked, his posture relaxing as he crossed his arms and looked at Jasmine, raising an eyebrow. "Goodnight, Isaac."

Thane took it as a good sign, Winter extending the olive branch—as human's said—and shaking Thane's hand as well as deciding to return to bed despite Thane still there. His subordinate's obvious shift away from hypervigilance also seemed to indicate a peace had been made, and Thane need not be concerned any longer. He remained quiet, waiting and watching. Raúl seemed content to hold his smug expression and wait Jasmine out.

Finally she let out an annoyed sigh. "Isaac is cool with Thane staying here with me if you are. So … can he stay? Please?"

Thane didn't expect to stay, he'd prepared to find someplace else to spend his nights, content to have the opportunity to spend some time with her during the day once their relationship was revealed. Whatever Jasmine and Winter discussed must've convinced the man of the genuineness of Thane's intentions. He'd already seen, by listening to her talk about her handler and then seeing the two of them interact, even with tensions high, how close the two became since she left Kahje. He hoped Winter was deserving of her admiration and loyalty.

Raúl scoffed, shaking his head and pushing away from the wall. "I should start charging you rent." He made his way towards the front door. "And make you pay for the holes they put in my walls."

"A reasonable request, I'll gladly reimburse you for damages and pay whatever you require for my staying here," Thane said, happy to do his part to keep the peace.

Raúl stopped at the door and glanced over his shoulder at Thane. "Not you." He nodded towards Jasmine. "Her."

She snorted, rolling her eyes. "Fine. I'll pay for damages and a _reasonable_ rate for rent."

The corner of Raúl's lip twitched, and he opened the door, stepping out into the darkness of night. "See you in the morning."

"Night, and … thanks." she said, but he continued walking down the stairs, not bothering to look back at her as the door slid closed behind him.

She turned to Thane, lifting a hand to press her palm against his chest. "You okay staying here?"

"If you're here, there's nowhere else I'd rather be, siha." He brushed hair out of her face and tilted her chin up to get a better look at her eyes, finding her pupils closer to normal size once more. "How are you? How is your pain? I've missed you."

She smiled, tugging at the edge of his vest. "I'm alright, really. Isaac's been taking good care of me, and Raúl gave me some non-narcotic painkillers which actually help … though I think the nightmare I had might qualify as a 'sleep disturbance' side effect. I think I'll be just fine with you beside me." She pressed up on her toes and kissed him. "Lock the door and come get some sleep?"

"Gladly." Thane let her face go and made his way to the door, taking only a moment to decipher the extra security set on the door's lock.

He made his way to the coffee table, picking up her gun and the bottle of pills Winter retrieved for her, halgraven, he'd called it. It must be the pain relievers Raúl gave her. She moved to the light switch and turned it off, leaving him to navigate by the light coming from her bedroom. Once inside the room, he set her pistol and her pain relievers down on the bedside table and closed the door, locking it as well. When he turned around, she stood a meter away, just watching him with a soft smile on her face.

"God I missed you." She closed the space between them sliding her hand inside his jacket and unholstering his pistol. She sat it down on the table next to hers before returning her hands to his jacket, slipping it down off his shoulders before moving to hang it on a hook on the closet door.

He followed her, running his hand along the bare skin of her right arm when she turned back around. Stopping with his fingers on the strap of her tank top, he met her gaze. The corners of her mouth twitched downward, but she nodded. He pushed the strap aside, tugging the fabric down her chest until he saw the fresh scarring on her shoulder, just below her clavicle, not far from her coracoid process. He moved around her, looking at her back, but it didn't leave an exit wound. The bullet must've lodged in her scapula, which explained the extent of the incision scars in the front. Those would likely heal completely and fade, but the damage done from the bullet would leave a mark. Carefully, he slid the strap back into place and then lifted the hem of the shirt, revealing the scarring on the right side of her abdomen. She turned, letting him see the other side, verifying it went all the way through.

"There was a small nick in my large intestine, but the doctor found it easy enough when she went in to clean out the wound." She turned back around to meet his gaze, lifting a hand to stroke the frills along his jaw. "She sealed it off no problem, and I've been on antibiotics. She reinforced my shoulder with a protein mesh. Isaac just took the Medi-gel off tonight. Give me another couple of weeks and I'll be fine." Hands moving to the clasps of his vest, she began working them free, relieving him of the vest as soon as she tugged them loose. She hung it up next to his jacket and then took his hand, guiding him back to the bed.

He sat down on the edge and started pulling off his boots. "I should've come sooner, but I'm pleased to see Winter has been looking after you while you heal. He seems to care a great deal about you, and you him."

Sitting down next to him, she yawned and winced. "He's a really good guy. You'll have to tell me the rest of the story about the two of you tomorrow."

"Indeed." He stood again, picking up his pistol and moving to the other side of the bed. He sat his weapon on the table nearest to where he'd be sleeping and climbed into the bed. He'd have to go retrieve the rest of his belongings from where he hid them in the woods in the morning, not expecting the new arrangement.

She turned off the light and crawled over the mattress to get closer to him before laying down, easing back into his arms, letting out a contented sigh. "Did your job go okay?"

Thane suppressed a shudder. "It … is something else we should talk about tomorrow. Get some rest, siha."

"Okay," she mumbled, voice already heavy with sleep.


	48. An Unexpected Visitor

**A/N: I'm on now, if you want to make a pledge, just search for MosaicCreme**

 **An Unexpected Visitor**

Thane rolled over, the faint scent of coffee tickling his nostrils. He opened his eyes, gaze falling on Jasmine. Smiling, he moved a little closer to her, carefully draping his arm over her rib cage, avoiding her injured abdomen. Her eyes snapped open, and she tensed for a fraction of a second before smiling. Turning her head to meet his gaze, she lifted a hand to trail her fingers along his cheek and jaw.

"Good morning." Pushing up on his elbow, he leaned over her, brushing his lips against hers. "I believe I smell coffee, which I assume means it's time for you to wake up and return to your studies."

She groaned, eliciting a chuckle from him. He tucked hair behind her ear before trailing his fingertips along the side of her face and kissed her again. Wrapping her arm around his neck, she tugged him back to her when he started to pull away, so he kissed her again, opening his mouth to her tongue's explorations. The feel of her fingers, kneading against his neck and shoulders, her warmth pressed against his side, the taste of her tongue in his mouth, the scent of her skin and hair … a soft moan vibrated through his chest and throat before he caught himself, stamping down his arousal before he let himself get carried away. He missed her, missed everything about her, but she was in no condition for such activity.

He broke the kiss, swallowing down the desire to explore every curve of her body. Her pupils were dilated, but he knew it didn't happen because of his venom, not so swiftly. No, he took it as a sign of her own arousal, just like the light flush of her skin and her nipples standing out against the fabric of her tank top with each, unsteady rise and fall of her chest. A gentle tap on her bedroom door saved him from losing his resolve, before his hands started to wander.

She sighed, turning her head toward the door and raising her voice to say, "We're up, I'll be out in just a minute." Looking back at Thane, she lifted her head from the pillow to press her lips to his.

He rolled over, clearing the way for her to get up, and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. Standing up, he rounded the bed to retrieve his vest and jacket but stopped when she called out to him. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw she held out the linen shirt of his which she'd kept when she left Kahje.

"Wear this." She eased herself up to a sitting position.

Curious, he'd thought she wanted it for herself, he asked, "Have you decided you no longer find it to your liking?"

She smirked. "I like it a lot better when it smells like you. You can change out of it later."

The notion warmed his heart, bringing a smile to his face. "As you wish, siha."

* * *

Jasmine popped the pills into her mouth, chasing them down with a swallow of orange juice. "Thanks," she said as Isaac slid a cup of coffee in front of her before turning back to the stove. She glanced over her shoulder at Thane who lingered behind her, seeming hesitant to sit down next to her. She raised an eyebrow and looked pointedly at the chair next to her.

"Do you drink coffee, Krios?" Isaac asked, casting a glance at Thane over his shoulder.

"No, thank you." Thane pulled out the chair next to her, perching on the edge as if he expected he might have to jump back to his feet at any second.

He seriously needed to relax. If Isaac picked up on Thane's unease, it'd only make Isaac think he had a reason to be wary with Thane. She so did not want to deal with another scene like the one she saw the night before, both men in a standoff, weapons drawn and aimed.

 _I'll shoot them both if they put me through that shit again._

"Juice?" Isaac turned sideways, raising a brow at Thane before gesturing to the carafe in front of Jasmine.

"Ah. Yes, please." Thane dipped his head.

Isaac smirked, pulling a glass down from the shelf above the sink and brought it over, setting it down in front of Thane before turning his attention to Jasmine. "Is he always so polite?"

"You should've seen how he was when we first met." She grinned, picking up her coffee cup to blow over the top of the aromatic liquid, breathing in its heavenly scent. "I've been a fantastically bad influence on him." Glancing at Thane, she winked.

He chuckled, pouring himself a glass of juice. "My thanks." Taking a drink, he pursed his lips a little, tilting his head to the side. "What fruit is this from?" he asked her.

"It's orange juice." She snorted at the look of confusion on his face. "Yes, the actual fruit is called 'orange.'" Reaching over to the bowl of fruit sitting on the table, she picked up an orange and held it out to him before getting one for herself. "Peel it first."

Digging her thumbnail into the orange's skin, she started to peel her own, watching Thane as he sat down his glass and began to do the same. She separated out the segments, laying them down on the placemat before bringing one to her mouth to bite in half. Thane broke his apart, turning one of the pieces over in his fingers, studying it before tasting it. He hummed, nodding his head and licking his lips as he chewed. She grinned, putting the rest of hers in her mouth.

Isaac walked over, carrying two plates, and Jasmine moved her orange aside, clearing the way for the plate he waited to set down in front of her. He put the other plate in front of Thane, and then he stole one of her orange segments, popping it into his mouth as he made his way back to the stove. She chuckled, glancing at Thane who seemed all at once surprised Isaac thought to feed him, too, and half convinced the dish contained poison.

"My thanks," he finally managed to say when Isaac sat down with his own plate and mug of coffee. It took him a moment, but finally he seemed to decide it safe to eat, or at least he decided he'd take the risk—probably to appease her.

Isaac shrugged, bobbing his head. "No problem."

Jasmine cleared her throat after a few minutes of eating in silence. "So … what?" She glanced at Isaac. "Somewhere between the two of you fighting and you getting shot, you two stopped to introduce yourselves?" She arched an eyebrow, gaze flicking back and forth between Thane and Isaac.

Isaac gave her a dirty look, but she saw the twitch of the corner of his mouth and the amusement in his eyes. "Nah." He shook his head. "I patched myself up and went back to Dira—my contact—but of course a dead body attracts a crowd … police, so I couldn't get close. I went to her office, instead, trying to see if I could figure out why he killed her." He put down his fork, propping his elbows on the table and lacing his fingers together as he turned his attention to Thane. "You realize she kept a copy of those files, your face and your name was in them. It said you'd left the Compact and started freelancing. There were pictures of your wife and kid. Your home address."

Thane sucked in a slow, deep breath, folding his hand around Jasmine's when she reached for him. "I am aware," he finally said. "Just as I'm aware you destroyed her laptop after discovering those files—without making a copy of your own. It's why I followed you to Asteria, I needed to know what, if anything, you would do with the knowledge." He looked down at her hand in his and swallowed. "My wife is …."

"Thane," Jasmine interrupted him when he hesitated. "You don't have to tell him, it's alright."

He offered her a grateful smile and dipped his head. "Indeed, but … I want to. He's important to you, and it's clear he cares for you, too." He squeezed her hand. "And … I hope it might prove illuminating to him, about his contact's actions."

She nodded, gnawing on the corner of her lip and glanced at Isaac. His gaze shifted between her and Thane, a quiet curiosity in his eyes, but he didn't say anything.

"I have been made a widower, thanks in part to the files T'Vera sold to the Shadow Broker." Thane turned his attention back to Isaac and cleared his throat. "My enemies purchased the information about me, and too cowardly to come after me personally, they went after my wife and child while I was away, pursuing a target. She hid our son, kept him safe, but it cost her life."

Isaac's eyebrows arched, and he brought his intertwined fingers up to rest against his mouth. He watched Thane for a moment longer before sighing, shaking his head. "Jesus. Damn, I'm sorry."

"Indeed," Thane said, voice somber as he dipped his head.

Jasmine let the silence stretch between them for a long minute, caressing Thane's hand with her thumb. The heavy atmosphere began to weigh on her, making her want to change the subject. "What happened on Asteria?"

"Ah." He smiled at her, gaze flicking back to Isaac. "Perhaps it is not for me to say, siha."

Isaac smirked, turning his attention to her. "I had a boyfriend on Asteria for a couple of years. _Your_ boyfriend got more than an eye-full spying on us."

Jasmine let out a bark of laughter before wincing, her free hand moving to her abdomen as mending muscles spasmed painfully.

"After about four days, he woke me up in the middle of the night, standing over Andre's bed. Andre and I were both buck ass naked, and Thane already moved my weapon off the table next to me. I flared, ready to Throw his ass, but before I could get up enough energy, he pointed his gun at my head." He looked at Thane, raising a questioning eyebrow. "What was it you said?"

Thane blinked, lowering his gaze, eyes moving back and forth, undoubtedly seeing something no one else could. "I said, 'You would be wise to forget what you have learned, Winter.'"

"Yeah." Winter pursed his lips and turned his attention back to Jasmine. "I figured if he'd intended to kill me, I'd already be dead. I was pissed, but I'm not stupid. He had me dead to rights, and Andre was still sound asleep next to me. He'd already made it clear he was dangerous. Knew my name and could find me. Besides, I didn't have any intentions of sharing the information, hell, I'd already forgotten most of it, so I nodded. He watched me for a few seconds and then nodded, too, before backing away from me until he got to the door and just left."

"Not exactly," Thane said, tilting his head a little, lips turning up in a smile. "I watched you for another week, just to be sure of your intentions."

Isaac laughed, picking his fork back up. He took a bite, a thoughtful look on his face as he chewed. "I used an alias with Andre, so I figured you must've done some research on me to learn my name … how did you _not_ know my first name is Isaac?"

"I actually wasn't able to find much about you through my usual methods, and what I did find came attached to one alias or another." Thane used his fork to cut into his egg. "I only learned the name 'Winter' by chance." He lifted his fork but stopped, meeting Isaac's gaze. "You made a call, it sounded formal, the woman you spoke with called you 'Winter' … I found your response to the name telling."

Jasmine lifted an eyebrow, curious, but something about the look in Isaac's eyes discouraged her from asking.

Isaac glanced down at his plate, whatever darkness pulled at him vanished from his eyes when he looked up half a second later. "I prefer Isaac."

"As you wish." Thane dipped his head. "You may call me Thane, if you'd like."

Isaac nodded, turning his attention back to his plate.

* * *

"Isaac?" Jasmine looked up at him as he helped her down the stairs, taking the opportunity while Thane wasn't around to broach the subject. "You said not to talk to anyone outside of the Alliance about this thing with Cerberus unless you say so …."

"You want to talk to Thane?" He lifted an eyebrow, and she nodded. "I'm not comfortable with the idea, Sunshine. I'm sorry. I don't really know him, but more importantly, we don't really know what we're going to turn up. Maybe once we have a better idea of what's going on."

She sighed but nodded again, accepting his decision. "Alright."

"Where'd he take off to, anyway?" Isaac asked, letting her ease out of his grip when they hit the ground.

The halgraven helped enough once it worked its way into her system, she could handle flat surfaces on her own without too much problem. Besides, she didn't want to wrinkle his pretty, purple suit. Still, she stayed close to him, just in case. "He went to go get his things since he'll be staying with us."

"Cool." They walked a few more steps in silence before Isaac spoke again, "What he said about his wife … I didn't know Dira was involved in all of that until after her death."

Jasmine glanced up at him, taking in the pinched look around his eyes. "No one's blaming you, Bossman. You're not responsible for her actions, or what happened as a result."

Apparently it wasn't exactly the point he'd hoped to get across, because his brow furrowed and he held out a hand, stopping her in her tracks. "No, I mean … well, I'm glad no one's blaming me, but what I'm saying is, you need to know it's not the type of thing I'd approve of. If I'd known she did things like that, endangering innocent people like Thane's wife and kid, I wouldn't have done business with her. Wouldn't want you or any of my other Phantoms to, either."

"Alright, I get you." She shifted a little, standing still for so long starting to make her abdomen ache with a dull, deep throb. "But, just so you know, I didn't think for a second you'd be okay with what she did. And I hope you don't think I'd be, either."

He shook his head, starting to walk again a little slower. "Nah. I guess I just felt like it needed said."

"Okay." She turned her attention to her feet, extra cautious with her steps, wanting to avoid accidently stepping down on uneven ground and jostling herself.

They crossed over to Raúl's place in silence, and Isaac held his arm out to her again. She leaned into him, letting him support her up the stairs. He let go of her again at the top, moving to unlock the door. He tapped twice before opening the door, announcing them to Raúl. They went inside, and Jasmine made her way to her workstation, easing herself down into the chair. Raúl already laid out a datapad with a long list of tasks for her.

"You didn't go back to sleep, did you?" Isaac asked Raúl, and Jasmine glanced over at the other Phantom.

Raúl shook his head. "Tried. Couldn't. Decided to get some work done instead." He finally looked up, bloodshot eyes zeroing in on Isaac. "Krios isn't with you, is he?"

"No, he has something to do." Isaac lifted an eyebrow. "What's up?"

"I have something." Raúl turned his chair a little, gaze slipping to Jasmine before shifting back to Isaac. "Project Evolution's goal is to use a mix of cybernetic implants, experimental drugs, and … I don't know what else to call it other than psychological torture, to create 'a unit of advanced soldiers capable of rivaling the strength of the krogan, the biotics of the asari, the focus and endurance of turians, and the ingenuity and reflexes of the salarians.'"

Jasmine's stomach sank, blood running cold in her veins. There it was, a solid connection between the Alliance and Cerberus' fucked up ideals of acceptable behavior if it put humans closer to the top.

 _Any means necessary, it's what Cerberus' manifesto said._

"Psychological torture … what are they doing?" Isaac leaned against her desk, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Sleep deprivation, solitary confinement, simulations tailored to each soldier to induce terror, operant conditioning using shock treatments as punishments … you name it." Raúl took a deep breath and raked a hand through his hair. "They've reported thirty-two deaths in their failed trials so far."

"Are these … do we know if these people are volunteering, or …?" Jasmine swallowed, letting her words trail off, unable to give voice to her fears.

Raúl turned his attention back to his console, clicking through a few screens. "Some of them, but it looks like the majority were coerced into joining the project. Soldiers who otherwise were up for CAT-6, men and women who were struggling with finances, and it looks like a handful of others were convinced to sign on to get someone they cared about out of trouble." He glanced up again. "There's medical charts, experiment video logs, images … but nothing that specifically implies this is a joint project with the Alliance. Not on Cerberus' end, anyway. The evidence on the Alliance's end is circumstantial, it's completely possible the Project Evolution the Alliance speaks of is different from Cerberus' project of the same name."

 _It's enough evidence for me. Jesus, I think I'm going to be sick._

"You can access the video logs?" Isaac asked, rubbing a hand over his face, disillusionment heavy in his gaze.

Raúl nodded. "Yeah, I can send them over to Jasmine's workstation if you want."

Isaac pushed away from her desk to grab another chair. "Yeah, I want to see this myself."

* * *

Thane headed back to the prefab, knapsack slung over his shoulder, sniper rifle case held loosely in his grip. The woods weren't thick, at least not at his location, and he wondered momentarily what the rest of the planet looked like. Movement at the edge of the treeline caught his attention and he stopped, focusing on the area ahead. Another movement, sunlight glinting off something metallic, urged Thane to seek cover behind a tree, drawing his pistol.

He watched as a shape separated itself from the trees, face and head covered, yet clearly human, sniper rifle slung over his back. Raúl's prefab—Jasmine's current location—sat just on the other side of the treeline, and the apparent assassin headed in that direction. Thane's heart thumped against his ribs, and he pulled his battle sleep around him. Slipping his bag back down to the ground, he set his gun case next to it. Stepping out from behind the tree, he moved, each step calculated and silent.

He managed to get within a meter and a half of the man before the assassin glanced around, catching sight of Thane. He didn't give the human the opportunity to react, hitting the man with a Warp. The assassin fell to the ground, body twisting in an unnatural angle, dead leaves and moss sticking to him as he writhed in agony. Thane dropped to a knee, wrapping his arm around the man's throat, choking off the oxygen to his brain until he fell unconscious.

Glancing around, making certain he wasn't seen, Thane grabbed the man by the wrists and dragged him back into the cover of the trees. Opening his omni-tool, he placed a call to Jasmine, leveling his pistol on the inert assassin while he waited for the call to connect.

"Hey," Jasmine said when she answered, her smile faltering a second later. "What's wrong?"

"Is Isaac with you, I need to speak with him." Thane shifted his gaze back to the unconscious man, already starting to rouse.

"I'm here, what's up?" Isaac's voice carried over the call, but Thane didn't return his gaze to the screen, instead, he turned his arm, aiming his omni-tool's camera at the assassin on the ground.

"Where are you?" Isaac asked, voice suddenly crisp and fully alert.

Thane lifted his arm to look back at the screen. "Fifty meters into the woods, almost directly behind your location."

"I'm on my way." Isaac disappeared from the screen, but a second later Thane heard him say, "Jasmine, stay here. Raúl, arm your defenses and check the perimeter."

"What's going on?" Jasmine's face appeared on the screen.

"I've intercepted an armed individual, I believe an assassin." Thane turned his attention back to the man who stopped moving, eyes still closed but obviously conscious once more. "He was watching your location. I must go, siha, he is awake."

"Be careful," she said, voice straining with fear.

He risked glancing up at her for less than a heartbeat before returning his gaze to the assassin. "Of course, I'll see you soon." He dropped his arm, leaving it to her to cut the call or not, unwilling to move the weapon he kept trained on the man in order to close his omni-tool until Isaac arrived.

A few seconds later, Thane heard Isaac approaching, undoubtedly making noise for Thane's benefit. He didn't know Isaac, not really, but he knew the man to be more than adequately skilled enough to move in utter silence, should he choose. Thane glanced up, spotting Isaac and giving him a quick nod of acknowledgement before turning his gaze back to the human laying in the damp leaves.

The man's eyes snapped open, and he spun, kicking out at Thane. Thane jumped over his legs, firing a shot into the dirt, centimeters from the man's head, in warning. He didn't heed the threat, however, executing a kip up and lashing out at Thane with his fists. Thane stepped to the side and behind the man, striking both kidneys, dropping the would be assassin back to his knees.

Isaac arrived, pointing his own weapon at the wheezing man. "Get up."

* * *

Jasmine checked her pistol for probably the fifth time since she disconnected the call with Thane. Raúl glanced over his shoulder at her, tension crystal clear in his normally complacent eyes. He didn't say anything, though, just gave her a once over before turning his attention back to the security feeds.

"They're bringing someone back with them … do me a favor, in the closet in the front, there's a set of mass effect cuffs." He moved to the back entrance, the same door Isaac left out of. "Grab them for me?"

 _Right. Because I'm your fucking errand girl._

"Sure." She pushed off the edge of her desk where she'd been sitting, figuring it'd be easier for her to move from there than the chair if something happened.

Making her way to the living room, she rounded the couch and opened the small closet door in between the kitchen and the first bedroom. She pushed aside Raúl's parka, finding a shelf built into the back. Spotting the cuffs, she grabbed them and then stopped, a turned over picture frame catching her eye. She pursed her lips, curiosity practically screaming in her head, begging her to flip it over and just take a quick peek. She didn't though, knowing she wouldn't have wanted Raúl to look if the roles were reversed. Instead, she stepped back out of the closet and closed the door behind her.

The sound of voices trickled back to her as she made her way back to the office, but she saw no one, so she followed the sound through Raúl's prefab, finding the three of them surrounding a man dressed all in black, the most stupid, clichéd looking wrap covering his face and head. Isaac carried a sniper rifle slung over his back, a make she'd never seen before and knew didn't belong to him. Thane looked up as she moved a little closer, and she saw something shift in his eyes, like a glacier thawing in a second, only to refreeze the next moment. She moved to stand next to him, holding the cuffs out to Raúl who was busy forcibly making Mr. Cliché sit down at a long, metal table. He took the cuffs from her, activating the mass effect fields over the man's wrist before locking them in place to the table. Reaching up, he yanked the covering off Mr. Cliché's head and face, revealing a relatively plain looking man with hair somewhere between blond and brown.

"I've seen this man before." Thane shifted, waving a hand at the man as all eyes moved to him. "He works at the docks, unloading cargo."

Isaac raised an eyebrow. "A local." It wasn't really a question. "Who sent you here?" he asked, turning his attention back to the cuffed man, pistol aimed and steady.

Mr. Cliché didn't answer, didn't even bother to look at Isaac, so Raúl punched him in the face. Jasmine took a slow, silent breath, detaching the part of herself that might care about the fact they'd cuffed a man to a table and apparently were about to beat answers out of him, tucking it away deep inside herself. She took a couple of steps back, leaning against the wall to take the weight off of her abdomen.

"Who sent you here?" Isaac asked again.

After a few seconds of lingering silence, Raúl hit him again. Mr. Cliché let out a growl, glaring at Raúl.

"Do I really need to ask you again?" Isaac raised an eyebrow.

Mr. Cliché glanced at Isaac and scoffed, so Raúl broke his nose. Blood poured down the man's face, splattering across the table's surface. Jasmine blinked, pushing away the hint of shock creeping in around the edge of her consciousness.

"Fuck." The man groaned, his hands straining against the cuffs. Leaning down over the table, he let the blood drip, his voice thick and choked, when he finally said, "I can't …."

Raúl hit him again, that time in the ribs, and Jasmine thought she might've heard something crack. He sucked in a sharp, deep breath and it seemed to catch in his lungs. Face turning red, air hissing back out of him, he let out a whimper. She expected Isaac to ask again, but instead he just waited in silence.

Mr. Cliché wheezed, blood still pouring down his face, he turned his attention back to Isaac. "Fuck you."

Raúl moved to the other side, pulling his arm back and ramming his fist into the man's ribs, and Jasmine knew she heard a crunch of bone the second time.

"Alright," Isaac said pursing his lips and bobbing his head a little. "Let's try something else. Who's your target?"

The man's gaze started to flick towards Raúl, but he stopped himself. So minute, Jasmine almost didn't catch the gesture, but Thane certainly did. He let out a soft breath, just loud enough for her to hear. She glanced at him, seeing the hint of relief around the corners of his eyes before it disappeared completely. Isaac caught it, too, she'd bet credits on it, but she wasn't sure whether or not Raúl would've seen it from his angle. If he did, he didn't let it show.

"Stand down," Isaac said when Raúl pulled his hand back again.

Raúl didn't balk at the order, his posture shifting to something more relaxed as he backed away, moving to lean against the wall behind Mr. Cliché.

"Is he your only target?" Isaac asked, rolling with what little Mr. Cliché inadvertently gave him.

Jasmine glanced at Raúl, but he didn't react, which either meant he'd caught the giveaway, or he just didn't find it surprising. She considered both options equally valid, after all, he was a Phantom and undoubtedly made enemies, not to mention the guy was found outside his house. She had a feeling, writhing around in her stomach like a pit full of snakes, she already knew—they all already knew—there were only two real options for who the guy worked for; she prayed it wasn't the Alliance.

Isaac let out a loud, exaggerated sigh. "Come on man, we have all day, and you've already got a broken nose and ribs. Do you really want to do this?"

* * *

Thane sat next to Jasmine, hand on her back. He could tell the man's self-inflicted death bothered her, undoubtedly making her think of her own mother's suicide. None of them anticipated the assassin might take his own life, certainly not through such an unusual method. Well, Thane supposed it was only truly unusual to him, Isaac said the method of hiding cyanide capsules in the mouth was an old tactic for human spies and soldiers entering enemy territory. They'd gotten precious little information from the man, only that his intended target was Raúl and he worked for Cerberus, before he poisoned himself. They now sat, gathered together in silence, in Raúl's living room.

"How soon can you be ready to leave?" Isaac asked, turning his attention to Raúl.

"It depends … are we talking a permanent move?" Raúl shifted, turning in his seat to face Isaac more squarely.

"They'll just keep sending more." Isaac took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, I know we'd agreed you could settle in somewhere; you made this place your home."

"No place will _ever_ be home to me again, Isaac." Raúl shook his head, and Thane detected an undertone of grief to his voice. "This was just a place to rest. It's going to take a few days to break everything down and have it ready to be shipped." He tilted his head to the side. "If I'm not traveling with my gear, I'll need to know if you want it sent somewhere specific so I can call my guy and have him there ready to retrieve it all."

"I don't know yet, but I'll stick around and help you get things sorted." Isaac turned to Jasmine and frowned before shifting his gaze to Thane. "Will you take her somewhere, look after her for awhile?"

Jasmine scoffed, shaking her head. "What? No. Isaac, that assholes came after Raúl because we're looking into Cerberus. You've seen how ruthless they are. I'm not leaving you here to risk getting killed because of a mess I created."

"It's not negotiable, Jasmine." Isaac sliced the air with his hand. "You're still healing from injuries, you're a liability right now if more do show up. So, you're going, with or without your boyfriend to help you out. And don't make me tell you again, I'm a grown man, I made the decision to get involved. I made the decision to include Raúl in this." He lifted an eyebrow. "Are we clear?"

Thane felt the muscles of her back tense beneath his palm, but she nodded her head. "Yes, si— Yeah, we're clear."

The corners of Isaac's lips twitched in the start of a smile. "I assume you'd rather have him with you?"

"Of course," she said, turning her head to look at Thane. "You good with that, or do you have another job lined up?"

He smiled, rubbing small circles against her spine. "I have no contracts, I'll stay with you for as long as you desire. I am yours, siha."

Her eyes softened, and she leaned into him a little. "I'll alway want you with me, but I won't keep you from work longer than necessary." Suddenly, she jerked back upright, snapping her jaw down on a pained hiss, fear flooding her gaze. "Theodus. Jesus Christ, what if they go after him?"

"Theodus will be fine." Thane moved his hand, brushing a few stray hairs out of her face. "I will call him when we are finished here. He is resourceful, he has … security measures." He didn't wish to say exactly what those security measures were, it wasn't his place. Indeed, he'd have rathered she not provided Theodus' name to her handler and coworker without Theodus having given permission, but he realized she was stressed and not thinking clearly.

Raúl cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention back to him. "Will I be continuing to look into Cerberus and the Alliance? If so, I think it might be helpful if I hear the entire story." He glanced at Jasmine and then back to Isaac. "What she knows, what this Theodus knows."

Isaac hummed, the sound indecisive until he turned to her. "It's your call."

She sucked in a deep breath and leaned back against the cushions. After a moment, she let out a slow, crackling groan. "Show him Leon's vid, I'll start there."

He bobbed his head and pushed himself up from his chair. "I'll go get my laptop. Raúl, lock it back down behind me."

Pulling out his weapon, he checked it over and headed for the door. Raúl stood, following behind his handler, leaving Thane and Jasmine alone for the time being. She let out a sigh, shifting restlessly.

Thane let out a soothing thrum, guiding her closer against his side. "Isaac is exceptionally skilled, siha. I realize it may not bring you much comfort, but I have no doubts he is capable of defending himself, should the need arise."

"I hope so." She laid her head on his shoulder.

When Raúl returned, he stopped in the doorway and watched the two of them for a moment before averting his gaze, staring at the floor.

She pulled away, easing herself back upright, pursing her lips a little as she glanced over the other Phantom. "You alright, Raúl?"

He looked up, meeting her gaze and lifted a shoulder in a half shrug. "It's not the first time. Probably won't be the last. I'll, uh, I'll put together some files for you to take with you, keep studying … if you want."

She nodded. "Sure."

Raúl turned back towards the office area and disappeared from sight, leaving Jasmine and Thane alone once more.

"He seems upset, doesn't he?" She sucked in a deep breath. "I'm going to go talk to him. Give me a minute?"

"Of course." Thane stood, helping her to her feet.

Tucking his hands behind his back, he watched as she navigated around the furniture. It relieved some of his concern to see her moving so easily with the help of the halgraven. It only seemed to bother her when she moved to sit or stand, or as he saw that morning, using the stairs. Glancing around the living room, he took in the hints of personalization and warmth the place held. Clearly, Raúl put a part of himself into the prefab, despite his instance the place wasn't his 'home'. Oh, there weren't photographs lining the walls, or an especially large collection of decorations or other sentimental objects, but there were signs of modifications made to the prefab to accommodate his preferences, shelves built and hung by hand, patterned curtains drawn over the shutters. They weren't large alterations, but alterations all the same—not something anyone in his profession would be likely to bother with if they didn't feel as if they were settling into their location.

A few moments later, Thane heard movement from the office, and Raúl and Jasmine's voices grew louder as they moved back towards the living room. Thane turned his attention back to the doorway and waited, listening as the front door opened again and Isaac's voice joined the others. Jasmine stepped through the doorway first, her gaze finding Thane's. She smiled, but something haunted her gaze, and he suspected it had more to do with the fact she agreed to allow Raúl and Thane to view Leon's video than the Cerberus assassin who came to kill her coworker.

She moved to him, trailing a hand across his arm as he turned to help her sit down. He supported her weight, letting her ease herself down before taking a seat next to her. Isaac sat on her other side, putting his laptop on the table in front of him, and Raúl perched on the arm of the couch next to him as he started the laptop.

When he pulled up the video file, Leon's face appeared on the screen, frozen in the last hours of his life. Jasmine let out a huff of a breath, drawing Thane's attention to her, and she clenched her jaw. He reached across and took her hand in his, letting her lace her fingers with his in the way she'd come to prefer, no longer a foreign feeling to him but a quite welcomed one. He rubbed his thumb along the length of her forefinger, and she smiled, jaw relaxing once more. Isaac started the video, and Leon's voice filled the silence.


	49. Continued Betrayals

**Continued Betrayals**

The sheer level of callousness and insanity in Leon's eyes as he spoke left Thane unsettled, but when the man turned his omni-tool to show Jasmine, splayed out on the floor, unconscious, wounds he inflicted on her still fresh, Thane wanted nothing more than to choke the life out of the already dead man. She'd told him of the video, but seeing it himself ….

The video cut off abruptly, and Isaac leaned forward, closing the laptop. "That's all the Alliance sent me."

"During my interrogation, they let me see a few seconds more, unintentionally—or maybe intentionally, who knows? Anyway, right after, Leon starts talking about how loyal I am to the Alliance." Jasmine waved her hand, the gesture jerky, her agitation clear in the tight lines of her face. "Or Phantoms, whichever he meant by 'you assholes'—and how it's a bad thing because there's something I don't know. The Bitch cut the vid off right after, so I didn't get to hear him say whatever this thing is."

"What bitch?" Raúl asked, lifting an eyebrow.

"Langston," Isaac said, propping his elbows on his knees and clasping his hands.

"Ah." The twitch of Raúl's brow and soft nod made it clear he understood the sentiment behind the nickname for the woman. "So, you haven't seen the rest?"

"It doesn't appear in the transcripts I saw, or the vid they sent when I requested a copy." Isaac pointed at his laptop and shrugged, leaning back against the couch. "But I believe her."

"Thanks …." She took a deep breath, turning her attention back to Raúl "So, I tried to put it out of my mind, but I couldn't. When Isaac agreed to be my handler, he told me to take a month off to get my head on straight. I spent the time with Thane," she said, reaching over to take Thane's hand, the act seeming more instinctual than intentional, "and when I finally realized I wasn't going to be able to let it go until I knew what Leon was talking about, I started digging."

"Huh." Raúl crossed his arms over his chest, lips pulling down at the corners as he narrowed his eyes at Jasmine.

"What?" Tone warning of potential backlash, she arched an eyebrow.

Thane brushed his thumb over the back of her hand, hoping to help soothe her before something regrettable happened. She sighed, giving his hand a light squeeze, but kept her gaze locked on Raúl.

"Just not what I would've expected from you." He shrugged, standing up from the arm of the couch and moved to the chair. "Relax, it's a good thing."

She scoffed, and though Thane didn't see the gesture as he watched Raúl, he felt fairly certain she rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Anyway, I started out by looking into Leon and his family. His dad was a well known public figure, so that part wasn't too hard, but it didn't get me anything really useful. So, I called Theodus. He found a bunch of messages back and forth between Leon and his father, Jasser, as well as some between Jasser and Admiral Holstead."

"What was in the messages?" Raúl asked.

Jasmine snorted. "Be patient, and I'll tell you. Jasser learned about some project Cerberus was working on and was upset over it, though he didn't say exactly what or why. Leon warned him away, telling him the Illusive Man is too dangerous. Jasser ended up contacting Holstead, who also warned him away. I've deleted them, but Theodus can send them to me again."

"That's it? That's what put you on to Cerberus?" Raúl arched an eyebrow, and in the moment, Thane understood perfectly why Jasmine wasn't especially fond of the man.

She turned her attention to Isaac. "Can I shoot him? Please?"

"Siha." Thane smirked, rubbing his thumb over her hand again.

Isaac chuckled, shaking his head. "Play nice, you two."

The dynamics between the three Alliance Phantoms intrigued Thane. Isaac appeared to be both friend and leader, offering Jasmine and Raúl a gentler guidance than Thane experienced while in the Compact. Yet, it proved effective, at least from what he'd seen so far. Both Jasmine and Raúl seemed comfortable enough to express their discontent, yet both seemed to respond immediately to the slightest hint of reprimand from their handler. Neither appeared to wish to challenge him in any way, and they both seemed to seek his approval.

He wondered what their investigation into their employer would change in the relationship. Should they be discovered, they might very easily be charged with treason, at the very least discharged from the Alliance. He held no doubts Jasmine would wish to stay in contact with Isaac, but would Isaac wish to stay in contact with her? If they weren't imprisoned for their actions—a thought which made Thane's chest constrict—would she continue to look to Isaac for guidance as Thane did with his previous handler and those who trained him and cared for him in the Compact? Perhaps the most pertinent question remaining unanswered: what would they do with the information they found?

"It got me where I needed to be, apparently," Jasmine said, tone sharp, as she looked back at Raúl. "I started looking into Cerberus after that, learned a few things, which you already know about, and ran across an extranet site requiring an access code. Theodus got me inside, but it really wasn't all too helpful either." She shrugged. "So, eventually, I turned to Isaac."

Thane cleared his throat. "I can … speak with Theodus, perhaps he'd be willing to work with you, if it'll help."

Isaac bobbed his head. "I didn't really want to involve outsiders in this, but considering we've got a body in the next room … yeah, I'd appreciate whatever either of you have to offer."

Thane dipped his head, pleased to have found a way to be of service. "Then if you'll excuse me, I'll go call him now. I should warn him, in the off chance they are aware he's been investigating them as well."

Raúl let out a soft, derisive noise in the back of his throat, but Thane pretended not to hear it. His statement wasn't intended to bruise the man's ego, he found no reason to doubt Raúl's capabilities, but he knew Theodus, knew the lengths the drell went to for security. Isaac took a slow, deep breath, his rib cage expanding significantly as he closed his eyes, and Raúl seemed to deflate, folding in on himself and dropping his gaze to the floor. When Isaac opened his eyes again, he looked at Thane and nodded.

Standing, Thane made his way to the room he shared with Jasmine and closed the door behind him. He didn't doubt the room was secure, but he ran a sweep just in case anyway. Finding no sign of any listening device or transmitter, he opened his omni-tool and placed a call to Theodus. It took him a little longer than usual to answer, but when he did, Theodus looked half asleep.

"Krios?" Theodus blinked, the background shifting around him as he pulled the laptop closer. "What can I do for you?"

Despite the understanding Theodus remained 'on call' at all hours as part of his profession, Thane still regretted having awoken him. "My apologies, I hoped you might still be awake. I'm with Jasmine and her handler, as well as another colleague of hers. They've been looking into Cerberus—Ah, Jasmine chose to share her concerns with her handler. This morning, I found an assassin stalking the grounds outside of her coworker's home—it is his equipment being used to look into Cerberus."

Theodus blinked a few more times, seeming far more alert. "Was anyone hurt?"

"Only the Cerberus assassin." Thane waved a hand, dismissing the question. "Jasmine and I thought we should warn you. She is concerned. I assured her you take excellent security measures, but regardless, it is only fair to warn you of the potential of danger."

Theodus smirked, the roguish look of his returning. "Jasmine's worried about me?"

Thane chuckled. "Indeed. I was wondering if perhaps you'd be willing to speak with her handler and coworker?"

"If the two of you believe this is a reasonable action to take," Theodus said, raising a brow ridge, "then I see no reason to protest."

"My thanks." Thane dipped his head. "Are you prepared to speak with them now, or should I call you later?"

"Call me back in a few minutes." Theodus rubbed a hand over his face. "Let me put on some tea."

"Of course, and I will take care of your fees." Thane brought his hand back up to his omni-tool. "My apologies, but they do already know your name. Jasmine used it while in front of them, unintentionally, I'm sure. Please, don't hold it against her, she's rather shaken right now."

Theodus smiled. "I'm not concerned, talk to you soon."

* * *

Jasmine watched as Thane placed a call to Theodus, smiling when the white-scaled drell appeared on the screen. His blood-red eyes found her instantly, and he flashed her a smile. She smirked, giving him a half-wave.

"You can patch it through to the main screen," Raúl said, gesturing at the vid screen mounted on the wall across from the couch.

Thane dipped his head and stood, crossing the floor to access the vid screen's signal and transferred the call. A moment of silence filled the air as Theodus took in the new faces of Isaac and Raúl, and they likewise studied him, no doubt committing his face to memory. Not that it was hard to remember Theodus. She'd already warned them of Theodus' penchant for asking questions unnecessary to his job and his teasing sense of humor. They'd discussed aliases to give to the tech infiltration specialist, so Jasmine was ready to make introductions.

She cleared her throat, drawing Theodus' attention. "Theodus, this is Malcolm and Mateo," she said, indicating first Isaac and then Raúl.

"That hardly seems fair." Theodus raised a brow ridge, mischievous smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "You've given them my name, but I only get aliases in return?"

"You assume I believe 'Theodus' _is_ your actual name." She smirked when he tilted his head in concession, granted it didn't mean Theodus _wasn't_ his name, either. Considering he knew Thane's real name, she imagined it probably was—or at least as close to it as anyone ever got. "It's not my call, either way." She wondered what made him assume the names were aliases. Did she give it away somehow? Take a little too long to say the names, or maybe they didn't sound natural coming from her mouth. Either way, she'd have to work on it, she'd never been called out over an alias before. She doubted Thane gave him their real names, and she didn't think he'd have gone looking for them without reason, either.

"Fair enough." He turned his gaze back to Isaac and Raúl. "Hmm. So, which of you is the handler, and which of you is actively trying to trace my location?" Fingers running over his keyboard, he smirked. "An admirable attempt, to be sure, but unsuccessful nonetheless."

"Seriously?" Jasmine narrowed her eyes, looking between Raúl and Isaac, but neither said anything or looked her way.

"I'm assuming it was an automatic process, likely triggered by the call being transferred." Theodus turned his attention to her. "I hope, anyway. I've enjoyed our working relationship, I'd hate to see it come to an end."

Isaac glanced at her, and she raised her eyebrows at him, holding a pleading hand out. He turned his attention to Raúl and said, "I don't believe we need anything on Jasmine's contact, stand down."

Raúl shrugged. "It was automatic; I didn't even think about it, but it won't run again."

 _Liar. Didn't think about it my ass._

"Thank you," Theodus said, still working at his keyboard.

Jasmine's omni-tool pinged, vibrating against her wrist and something about the twitch of Theodus' brow ridge as he watched her told her to look at it right away. She opened her omni-tool and found a message from him, asking her to confirm she wished for him to speak to her associates about her contracts with him and to what extent. She responded, asking him to share everything with them starting with his search for information on Leon which led to Cerberus all the way up to the extranet site he helped her access. She assured him they knew what she was looking for and why.

Theodus glanced down, away from his camera for a second and then back up again, probably reading her response. "I've compiled the requested data and included copies of my previous reports. Jasmine, you should be receiving it any moment, I will leave it to you to provide a copy to your associates as you see fit." He turned his attention to Isaac and Raúl. "In the meantime, in a nutshell—as I've heard humans say—Jasmine requested I look for information on her former handler in an attempt to uncover potential leads she might follow. At her request, I kept my search confined to servers outside of the Alliance. Little seemed relevant, except for several messages discussing Cerberus. The report touches on it all, however."

Jasmine received his compilation of reports and data while he talked, and she passed them along to the others, including Thane. Isaac said he'd appreciate what Thane and Theodus had to offer, so she took it as the greenlight she'd wanted to talk with Thane about it all. Both Isaac and Raúl opened the messages right away, scanning through the report while they listened.

"She contacted me again a couple of weeks ago with an extranet site she wanted me to hack into for her," Theodus continued. "The site belonged, of course, to Cerberus. I mirrored the site for her for a week, giving her time to securely browse without risking being traced, though I do not know what, if anything, she found of value. I can easily repeat the process for you, if you wish, or answer any other questions."

Raúl scoffed, glancing up at the screen. "A child can do that, hell, Jasmine could with a little guidance."

"You know … you talk a lot of shit, but _you're_ the one who drew Cerberus' attention." Jasmine arched her eyebrow at Raúl's narrowed gaze, somehow more pissed off at the insult to Theodus than the jibe taken at her.

"He's just telling us the same thing she did," Raúl said, waving at the screen though his gaze was on Isaac. "This is pointless."

Isaac shot them both a warning look before turning his attention back to the screen. "Please, continue."

Theodus flashed Jasmine a shit-eating grin, pulling a smirk from her, before he looked at Raúl. "Regrettably, I'm not sure what more I can tell you, then. Unless, of course, you'd rather listen to me recount every detail of my memories instead of, oh, I don't know, reading the report I took the time to put together."

Jasmine snorted, suppressing a laugh. She loved the immediate rivalry cropping up between the two techies, especially since it looked like Theodus was definitely winning. His gaze flicked to her and he winked, earning him a chuckle despite herself. A movement from Thane drew her attention, and he lifted a hand to his mouth, coughing lightly, the corners of his mouth turning up a hair when he saw her looking at him.

 _He's enjoying this, too._

"For a reasonable fee, I can trace the point of access which allowed Cerberus to detect your activity, if you'd like." Theodus smirked, dragging his attention back to Isaac as he delivered the next part, "I'm also happy to do any further research you require, for your subordinate's safety, of course."

"He's not touching my systems. No one touches my systems." Raúl crossed his arms, glaring at Theodus.

"Thank you, I'll keep it in mind. Maybe we can discuss it a little later?" Isaac looked back down at his omni-tool, but she caught the twitch of his lips, and the bob of his Adam's apple as he seemed to swallow down a laugh. "Are the actual messages from Leon and Admiral Holstead included in this?"

"Yes," Theodus said, dipping his head, "you'll find they start on page nine. I prioritized them, believing them to be the most relevant."

Isaac scrolled through his omni-tool. "And you included _everything_ you found in this report?"

"No," Theodus said, drawing everyone's attention back to him.

"What?" Jasmine blinked a couple of times. "Why not?"

"I found things holding no relevance to the information you asked me to uncover." Theodus shrugged, but she could tell there was something more to it, something making him refuse to meet her gaze. "Most of it mundane, some of it disturbing, but still ultimately irrelevant."

She fought the urge to clench her jaw, annoyed to find he kept something from her when she paid him for his services _and_ it was being mentioned for the first time in front of Isaac. "Like what?"

He finally met her gaze, resignation tugging his features downward. Voice soft, almost pleading, he asked, "Perhaps you'd rather discuss this in private?"

Jasmine glanced at Isaac and swallowed. It wouldn't look good at all if she pulled the plug on the conversation, especially not after promising Isaac she wouldn't keep secrets from him. Turning her attention back to Theodus, she steeled herself for his answers and shook her head. "No, it's alright. Just tell us what you found that you didn't share."

Theodus took a deep breath and leaned back in his chair, folding his hands over his abdomen. "Leon was obsessed with you, enough so that if the man still lived, I'd be concerned for your wellbeing."

She licked her lips, ice cold dread slithering through her veins, chilling her from the inside out. "What do you mean?"

"There were several images of you … some of them in compromising positions, they appeared to be taken without your knowledge or consent." He hesitated, letting his words linger in the air like a poisonous gas, stealing the breath from everyone in the room.

Whatever she expected, it wasn't the punch in the face he just delivered. She forced herself to breathe, closing her eyes and pinching the bridge of her nose, waving her other hand for him to continue. She felt sick, violated even, to know Leon took pictures of her without her permission. She didn't even want to know what Theodus considered to be 'compromising positions', but it didn't take much of an imagination to get a general idea. Which, of course, also meant Theodus saw her in those 'compromising positions'. No wonder he didn't want to tell her. Jesus fuck, did Leon show them to anyone else? When the hell did he even take them? Was it when they were still together, or after? On Illium?

"He wrote letters to you, but never sent them, in which his tone shifted from outpourings of love and remorse to expressions of rage, at times threatening bodily harm." Theodus let out a heavy breath. "He also wrote letters to someone named Lana, cursing her for ruining everything he had with you. He appeared to be quite mentally unstable."

She felt everyone looking at her, but she didn't have it in her to meet anyone's gaze, knowing if she saw even the slightest look of anything even resembling pity, she'd lose her shit. The sonofabitch wrote letters making threats to her? Because she wouldn't take him back? Christ, she knew at the end he'd lost it, but she thought it was a recent development, all about his father … how long did he really hide his darkness from her? From everyone? His voice filled her head, laughing at her distress. His smirking face floated on the backs of her eyelids, making her want to reach for her pistol and fire at the smug expression of his until her heat sink overheated.

"Siha." Thane's gentle voice broke through the rising tide of emotions.

She didn't open her eyes, just leaned into him. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder, guiding her closer, pressing her in against the warmth and safety of his side.

"Is there anything else … not about Jasmine?" Isaac asked, a hint of regret to his voice.

* * *

"You shouldn't be in here, the steam's not good for you." Jasmine sat in the bath, knees drawn to her chest, arms wrapped tight around her legs, despite the pain he knew the position must cause her. She'd pressed her forehead to her knees, her words carrying a slight distortion as she spoke toward her chest.

"I am fine, siha." He dipped the sponge back in the water, ignoring the mild tightness to his chest. Dripping the water over her back and shoulders, he pressed the sponge to her skin, sliding it down along her spine. "I won't stay long."

"Will you ask Theodus to make sure all it's removed and destroyed?"

"Isaac already asked, the moment you left the room, and Theodus agreed." He pulled more water up with the sponge to let it roll back down over her skin.

She'd excused herself after learning of Leon's betrayals and gone to the restroom in Raúl's home. She stayed in there for quite some time, and when she finally reemerged, her eyes were bloodshot, the delicate skin surrounding them swollen. Isaac thanked Theodus for his time and ended the call, urging Jasmine to return with Thane to the prefab where they lived. Isaac said he intended to stay and help Raúl start breaking down his equipment, and when darkness fell, the two of them would deal with the man's corpse.

Thane insisted on checking the prefab and surrounding area first, to be certain there weren't other assassins lurking in wait. Detecting no evidence of a threat, he'd returned to find her wrapped in Isaac's embrace, her face hidden against the other man's chest. For the briefest of moments, it sparked something envious and unkind in Thane, but the emotions dissipated no sooner than they appeared, leaving him with gratitude for her current handler—who appeared to be a much kinder man than Leon. Thane led her back to the prefab, and she'd gone straight in to run herself a bath when they arrived.

"Have you considered where you'd like for us to go?" he asked, running the sponge over her back again.

She sighed, dropping her arms from around her knees and looked at him, shaking her head. "No. I guess we'll check with Bossman, see if there's somewhere in specific he wants us to go. If not … anywhere _not_ Earth or Kahje. If someone comes looking for us …."

"Indeed. Though I find I'm less concerned about Kolyat's safety than I otherwise might've been." He watched her as she pulled the elastic from her hair, letting the piled up locks fall free to brush along the water's edge. "My … I suppose you'd call him a mentor, the man who taught me much of what I know, and my former den mother informed me they have kept guard over Kolyat in my absence. I'll call them tonight and warn them, though I doubt Cerberus has any awareness of either of us. The assassin they sent didn't appear to understand what exactly he'd found himself in the middle of, only that he was meant to kill Raúl."

"You said you saw him before? Working on the docks?" She eased herself back in the water, sliding down the slope at the back of the tub until her torso submerged, water wrapping around her breasts, leaving them exposed to the air.

"I did." He put his hand in the water, gently pressing the sponge against her sternum before trailing it down along the lines of her body, up her thigh, across her bent knee and back down her shin.

She hummed at his touch, a soft smile lifting the corners of her mouth, the first he'd seen since she received the upsetting news. "Why do you think he was here? Ferris Fields isn't exactly prime real estate for insane research projects."

"I don't know, siha." He considered the question for a moment longer, running the sponge over her shoulders, careful with her tender wound. "Perhaps Ferris Fields is merely where he lived, he may have had family here. A regrettable notion, but such is the nature of any dangerous profession."

Groaning, she closed her eyes. "I hope not."

"As do I." Leaning over the edge of the tub, he pressed his mouth to hers, savoring the feel of her soft lips. "I'm going to make lunch. Call me when you're finished, and I'll come help you out of the tub."

She opened her eyes, holding his gaze with a surprising intensity. "I love you, Thane."

"And I you, siha." He brushed his fingers over her cheek. "With all that I am."

He left the sponge on her stomach and stood, looking down at her for a moment before leaving her to her bath. He went first to her room, finding her clean, comfortable clothes to dress in and laid them on a table next to the bathroom door. Then he made his way to the kitchen and began looking through the cabinets and refrigeration unit. He knew instantly Isaac made the food choices between the two of them, and he chuckled thinking of how Jasmine must've pouted to find her handler didn't indulge her love of unhealthy foods.

He'd just finished putting together a salad when he heard her call his name. Setting the bowl into the refrigeration unit, he made his way back to the bathroom, picking up the stack of clothes on his way. She sat upright in the tub again, water creating a shimmer on her face as she looked up at him. He smiled, taken by her beauty, and sat her clothes down on the sink.

"Towel?" He raised a brow ridge.

She pointed to a cabinet above the toilet. He opened it, pulling out a thick, soft towel and draped it over the rod secured to the wall next to the tub. Bending, he wrapped his arms around her, helping her to get her feet under her and lifted. He held her steady as she stepped out, water droplets sliding along her curves, drawing his attention to several interesting places, forcing him to brush aside intimate memories before they overcame him. Grabbing the towel, he started with her head, gently squeezing the mass of soaking wet hair to pull away the excess water before moving down over her back and shoulders.

He managed to dry her completely, only stopping to kiss and caress a few places along the way. Kneeling before her, he glanced up, finding her watching him with utter adoration painted over her face. She reached out, trailing her fingers over the ridge of his cheek, where scale gave way to sensitive frills. Pushing to his feet, he slung the towel over his shoulder and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his embrace. She kissed him, parting his lips with her tongue, moving over his with gentle, loving strokes.

"Sunshine?" Isaac's muffled voice pulled a regretful groan from Thane as he broke the kiss.

She chuckled, patting his chest. "Go tell him I'll be out in a minute?"

"As you wish." He leaned in first, kissing her again before letting her go.

Leaving the bathroom, he made sure she wouldn't be in Isaac's line of sight. He didn't think, under normal circumstances, she'd particularly mind. She wasn't exactly modest, and he knew Isaac's sexual preferences didn't include women, but still, after learning her previous handler violated her trust in such a way, he didn't think she'd want to be seen without her intent and permission. Isaac stood in the living room, head turned toward the sound of the bathroom door when Thane made his way to the end of the hall.

"She's just left the bath," Thane said, coming to a stop a few feet away from the man and tucking his hands behind his back.

Isaac bobbed his head, an odd sort of rhythm to the gesture. "She alright?" he asked, voice pitched low.

"She is … understandably disturbed, but she has a strong mind and heart." Thane took a deep breath. "Leon was … important to her, once. She feels his betrayals acutely."

"Important … yeah." Isaac shook his head, making his way toward the kitchen. "The man was a dick, and I'm starting to think she was too easy on him."

"You knew him?" Thane asked, following along.

Isaac looked over his shoulder at Thane as he opened the refrigeration unit. "Nah. Just met him once years ago. I just know what he put her through … what he's still apparently putting her through."

"I admit I'm surprised how much you and Jasmine seem to care for one another," Thane said and then dipped his head, adding the concession, "after such a short time."

Isaac pulled out a bottle of water and turned, leaning against the counter, crossing one ankle over the other. "I care about all of my Phantoms. I make them family, I have to. It's my job to put my life before theirs if it comes to it, and I need to make sure there's a solid reason there for me to be willing to make the sacrifice if the time comes."

"Family?" Thane raised a brow ridge, finding the notion somehow both in sharp contrast and yet so similar to his own time in the Compact. Neither the hanar nor the drell responsible for his training ever set out to make him or the others family, and yet, they did become family over time … to an extent. "This is the way of the Alliance?"

Isaac smirked and took a drink of water. "Don't. I still don't entirely trust you, but even if I did, despite this shit going on between the Alliance and Cerberus … I'm not going there. You and I aren't having a conversation about the way things are done in the Alliance."

Thane lowered his gaze and dipped his head. "Fair enough." He met Isaac's gaze again. "If I may, I suggest using caution when speaking to Jasmine about family. I wouldn't recommend using the term casually with her."

"Don't say it if I don't mean it is what you're saying?" Isaac asked, and there was an undertone of challenge to the question, as if he were testing Thane in some way.

"Indeed," Thane said, continuing to hold the man's gaze.

Isaac nodded. "What do you know of her family?"

Thane blinked once. "It is no more for me to share with you than it is for you to share with me."

"Good." Isaac smiled. "Good," he said again, almost as if to himself, nodding.

Thane took a moment to process the man's response, wondering exactly what it was he hoped to find from Thane with his questions. He considered asking, but decided against it—whatever Isaac sought, he seemed content with Thane's response. Isaac took another drink from his bottle of water, watching Thane, expression giving nothing away.

Thane cleared his throat. "If you have somewhere specific you'd like for me to take her, I can arrange transportation as soon as I know our destination."

"Take her wherever you think you can best keep her safe." Isaac glanced down, as if the bottle in his hand held some answer. "I don't want to know where. I'll call her and find her once I know Raúl is secure."

"Very well." Thane dipped his head. "As you wish."

* * *

Jasmine snuggled in against Thane, grateful the fucked up day finally came to an end. Hopefully the next day would be better. He'd scheduled them on a ship leaving before dawn, heading for the asari planet Lusia. She didn't ask why he chose Lusia, it didn't really matter. She'd be with him. And she'd still be leaving Isaac and Raúl behind, with people wanting to kill at least one of them, because she stuck her nose in somewhere she probably shouldn't have.

She thought, with everything going on, she might've been able to weasel her way out of her rehab exercises, but like clockwork, Isaac came back over and ran her through them. Thane watched intently, listening to Isaac's every instruction as he discussed repetitions and tension levels for each exercise. Apparently, Thane intended to make sure she kept up with them in Isaac's absence. No real surprise there.

Her omni-tool vibrated against her wrist, pulling her from her thoughts. She opened it and saw the notification for a message, it only took her a second to recognize Ares' extranet address. She shifted onto her back and opened the message.

" _Are you still alive?"_

She let out a snort and hit reply. " _Yeah, I'm alive. Dealing with drama. Talked to Bossman about the thing I mentioned to you, about my employer and those crazy assholes … anyway, turns out the crazy assholes didn't take to well to our digging around. Someone came after the guy Bossman had looking into things, so, we're moving out again. Everything good on your end?"_

It only took a few seconds for his response to come though. " _I played tourist on Shanxi for awhile. I now owe someone a dog."_

" _Shanix? You do remember you're a turian, right? Did you kill a dog? Asshole,"_ she wrote, knowing if he killed a dog, she wouldn't fight clean like she did while they were sparring the next time she saw him.

" _It was … fun on Shanxi. And, no, I did not kill a dog. But I don't have a clue where to get one now,"_ his next message said a moment later.

She chuckled, sometimes Ares seemed so daft, she wondered how he managed to make it through life at all. " _Uhhhhh … a pet store? I guess it depends on where you're at."_

" _I will suffer a 'pet store' here on the Citadel,"_ he wrote, and she could almost hear his agitated chuff.

She'd have to ask him for the full story behind the dog thing someday, when things were calmer. If things were ever calmer again. She hit reply. " _I suppose somewhere on the Citadel might have one or two. Might have to order one special instead. Good luck with that. Glad you weren't killed on sight on Shanxi."_

Thane rolled over, draping an arm across her chest. "Who are you talking to?"

"Ares." She turned her head to look at him. "He messaged to ask if I'm still alive."

"Ah. Tell Ares hello and thank him again for assisting you on the Citadel. I am in his debt." He moved a little closer, kissing her shoulder.

She snorted. "You're not in his debt, I am. Isaac maybe, but not you."

"I am," Thane said, his tone insistent. "He was there for you when I couldn't be, he provided you with invaluable information which helped keep you alive. He contacted me to let me know you'd been injured. I am in his debt."

She snorted softly, not really up for the argument but paraphrased his message to Ares." _My drell says hi."_ Okay, so maybe it wasn't _exactly_ paraphrasing, but it worked. She wasn't going to tell Ares that Thane said he was in Ares' debt.

Ares didn't take long to respond. " _I doubt he said 'hi' as you put it."_

" _I was too lazy to type the whole thing out. I've been shot, you know."_ She smirked as she hit send, knowing what kind of response her pity party would get her.

" _... baby,"_ Ares' wrote, and it made her snort.

"What did he say?" Thane asked, kissing her shoulder again.

She scrunched up her nose and mouth, turning her head to look at him. "Ummm, I just told him you said hi."

"Siha." Though he said it with a chastising tone, he smiled at her.

"Ugh. Okay." She rolled her eyes and smiled. "I'll tell him what you said, but you are _so_ not in his debt. Repeat it for me, I want your _exact_ words."

Thane chuckled, nipping at her shoulder, sending a shiver down her spine and warmth to places already begging for attention with him so close again. She really wished she'd heal faster. He hummed, undoubtedly knowing the effect he had on her and repeated his statement.

Sighing, she wrote, " _Dick. Okay, fine. He said, 'Ah. Tell Ares hello and thank him again for assisting you on the Citadel. I am in his debt.'"_

" _I was hit in the face with a pry bar, and I can still write perfectly fine."_ Ares didn't even acknowledge what Thane actually said, even after she went through all of that to write it out for him. Probably, he thought Thane was being dramatic, too.

She winced, imagining taking a pry bar to the face. " _Who the fuck hit you in the face with a pry bar, and how dead are they?"_

"What did he say?" Thane asked again.

"He didn't say anything about it, at least not yet. He's still giving me shit for complaining about being shot and using it as an excuse to not type out what you said in the first place." She grinned, turning her arm a little to show Thane the screen.

He arched a brow ridge as he read. "That sounds … painful."

" _I don't remember the name. He now knows what it feels like, though, so the name doesn't really matter anymore,"_ Ares wrote.

" _Fair enough. There wasn't anymore trouble for you on the Citadel after we parted ways?"_ she asked, wondering if Remitun did have more members of Blackwatch looking out for him than just those they fought and killed.

" _No? I didn't pay attention."_

Curious as to what exactly he meant by that, she raised an eyebrow and stared at the message for a second. Deciding it wasn't worthy prying into, not when she had Thane next to her, his warmth lulling her into tranquility. " _Good. Just making sure there weren't any surprises, other back up. Anyway, I'd better get some sleep. Thanks for checking in on me."_

" _Yep,"_ Ares wrote, short, simple, and utterly unsurprising.

Smiling, she closed her omni-tool and rolled to her side, carefully situating herself before tugging at Thane's hand to get him to move closer. She let out a weary sigh, following it with a yawn. "You never told me how your job went."

"Ah. Perhaps we'll talk about it in transit." He kissed the back of her head, moving closer until his body was flush against hers. "Sleep, siha."


	50. The Strength to Do

**The Strength to Do**

Thane held her in the crook of his arm as they lay together, stretched out over the small bed in the room assigned to them aboard the _Borealis_. He'd spent the last hour or so telling her everything he felt he could about his contract on Omega, avoiding giving her too many details about Sahnira for Alahana's sake. She'd listened intently, asking few questions, but he heard the soft quaver of fear in her voice easy enough.

"Jesus Christ, has the entire fucking galaxy gone insane?" Her words came out a hoarse whisper, and she tightened her grip on his waist.

He pulled her in a little closer, rubbing his hand up and down her arm, the memories of 'the barn' and the things he'd seen on Sahnira's laptop left him feeling cold inside. The terrible sound emanating from the orb clinging to his consciousness despite the rest of the memory slipping back into the recesses of his mind. "Sometimes it does seem that way, doesn't it?"

She shifted, and he looked down at her, meeting her gaze. She pulled in her eyebrows and asked, "So, has Theodus found anything else important in the files he saved?"

He shook his head. "Not that he's made me aware of so far."

"Have you talked to Dr. Solus again?" She moved her hand down, slipping her thumb beneath his vest and stroked his scales of his abdomen—providing him some measure of comfort, as much as it did her, he suspected.

"Not yet," he said, lifting his hand to run his fingers over her hair.

"Do you really think Saren could be doing this _for_ the Council?" she asked, brow drawing in deeper.

Thane took a deep breath and let it out slow. "I believe it is possible, but perhaps not plausible."

She turned her face, nestling in against his chest. "Christ."

"Indeed."

They lay in silence for several minutes until she asked, "Why Lusia?"

"Ah. I own property there, under an alias, of course." He turned, easing her onto her back and pushing up on his elbow to look down at her. "I also have a contact who lives on Lusia, a former asari commando. I've asked her to meet us when we dock. I trust her, she'll offer additional protection for you, should anything go awry while we're there." Leaning over her, he pressed his mouth to her parting lips before she could respond—undoubtedly to insist she could take care of herself. "We should do your exercises, siha."

Jasmine huffed, sticking her lower lip out in a pout. "Can't we just stay right here instead and tell Isaac I did them when he asks?"

He chuckled, kissing her again. "We can stay here for a little while longer, but then we must do your exercises."

She lifted a hand, wrapping it around the back of his head, fingers threading through his crest. "Fine, but you have to kiss me again. A _real_ kiss."

Grinning, he pushed himself up a little further, balancing his weight on his palm. "Is that so?"

"Yes." She nodded, her face solemn.

Using his knee to spread her legs, he moved himself above her, savoring the almost instant dilation to her pupils. She missed his touch as much as he missed hers, he saw it written all over her face, smelled it on her skin, heard it in the stutter of her breath. Keeping his weight on his hands and knees so as to not put any pressure on her injuries, he lowered himself just enough to cover her mouth with his, parting her lips with his tongue. He lost himself in her, pouring as much love and passion into the one kiss as he could until finally he had to pull away or risk forgetting anything more might hurt her.

The fevered look in her eyes only increased the fire in his veins. "Your exercises will help you heal faster," he said, brushing his lips over hers again. "The sooner you are healed, the sooner I can make love to you." Regrettably, he pushed himself to his feet, ignoring the demanding pressure of his erection and held his hand out to her to help her up. "Come, siha, let's do your exercises."

* * *

Jasmine looked over the tall, gray-eyed asari, taking in her leaden-blue skin and cobalt markings. Avalina, Thane called her. The asari narrowed her eyes as she scanned Jasmine from head to toe.

Avalina turned back to Thane. "Student of yours? She's got the look, despite obviously being injured."

Jasmine arched an eyebrow, irritable with her halgraven wearing off, but still considering decking the former commando. It was bad enough Avalina thought Jasmine was Thane's 'student', but the bitch couldn't even speak to Jasmine directly?

Thane chuckled, moving closer to Jasmine, and slipped his arm around her waist—probably to remind her that she shouldn't hit the asari. "Avalina, this is Jasmine, and no, she is not my student. Please, she deserves the same respect you give me."

Avalina blinked, lifting her brow as her gaze took in Thane's fingers caressing Jasmine's side. "Goddess," she whispered, turning to Jasmine again, expression completely different, eyes wide and lips parted in a silent 'oh'. "Please, forgive my rudeness, I meant no offense."

"Sure," Jasmine said slowly, checking her annoyance and forcing a smile on her face, "no problem. But if you don't mind, can we continue this reunion in the taxi, my pain medication is wearing off."

"Oh! Yes, of course. I'm so sorry." Avalina reached for the bag at Jasmine's feet, the one with her sniper rifle case tucked away inside. "Let me help you with this."

Thane cleared his throat. "Perhaps I should carry that one." He glanced at Jasmine, and she nodded. "But if you wish, you can help carry the others."

Avalina gave Jasmine another appraising look and nodded. "Of course." She moved to the bags he indicated, and picked one up in each hand, avoiding the bag holding his sniper rifle case, as if she knew precisely which one it would be.

He picked up the bag left next to him and drapped the strap over his shoulder before bending to grab the one at Jasmine's feet, moving it to his off hand before wrapping his right arm back around her waist. Together, they moved to the waiting skycar, the feel of numerous asari eyes burning into the back of her neck. She tried to ignore it, but she let out a sigh of relief as soon as Thane settled her into the passenger seat and closed the door behind her.

Avalina waited for him to climb in the back before sitting in the driver's seat and closing her door. "So," she said, glancing over her shoulder at Thane as she lifted the skycar into the air, "what is it exactly you need from me? Your message was a little vague."

"Ah. It's possible there may be … people after us." Thane shifted in the backseat, leaning up between the two front seats. "We might require assistance if they show up, especially while Jasmine recovers."

Avalina raised her brow. "Sounds like fun. What people?"

Jasmine glanced at Thane, and he tilted his head a little, deferring to her. She turned her attention back to the asari next to her and shook her head. "I'm sorry, but we can't say."

Turning her head to give Jasmine a once over, Avalina hummed and nodded. "It's alright, I'm used to not getting answers from him." She glanced at Thane again. "You know my requirements."

"Indeed." He dipped his head, settling back against the seat once more.

Jasmine wondered exactly what Avalina's 'requirements' were, but she had the feeling it really wouldn't be appropriate to ask—and she really wouldn't like the answer. She made a mental note to ask Thane about it later. The rest of the trip continued in relative silence, which was fine by her. To Jasmine's surprise, Avalina settled the taxi down outside of what amounted to a log cabin in the woods. She stepped outside of the skycar and closed the door behind her, leaving Thane and Jasmine inside.

"This is yours?" Jasmine asked Thane.

"Indeed." He leaned forward, watching Avalina through the windshield as the asari stopped a meter or so away from the car and squatted down, shifting her hand through the leaves and debris.

"What's she doing?" She sat up a little straighter, trying to get a better look at whatever Avalina messed with on the ground. "We're not going in?"

"She's disarming traps to clear the way for us." He put his hand on the side of the abandoned driver's seat. "Then, she'll scout out the premises to ensure there are no surprises."

She raised an eyebrow. "You boobytrapped your yard?"

He chuckled. "Not at all. Avalina did."

She watched the asari in silence for a few moments. "How do you two know each other?"

"She …." His voice trailed off for a second, and he sucked in a shuddering breath, drawing Jasmine's attention. Gaze unfocused and shifting, something about the cast of his features told her that he lost himself in a memory. "Standing over the last corpse. Blood seeps out of the batarian's broken, cooling body, staining the rusted, metal floor. I have the name, the last name. The assassin who killed Irikah. Would have killed Kolyat. Stiv Kay."

Jasmine shifted a little, moving as quietly as she could to get a better look at him. She didn't know if he intended to slip into the memory or not, but he didn't seem particularly distressed, despite the sharp edge to his voice as he said 'Stiv Kay'. So she left him to it, watching and listening as he told her a story the way only a drell could.

"I clasp my hands, bow my head, but the prayer doesn't come." His head tilted down, eyes falling closed as he sat in silence for a moment. "There can be no forgiveness for what I have done for I feel no remorse. I turn, leaving the body to fester and rot, tucked away in the stench-filled alleys of Omega." His hand tightened against the side of the driver's seat. "Stumble as I leave the alley. Exhausted. I haven't slept in four nights, haven't eaten in two days. Blood coats my hands, drying, making the skin between scales feel tight. I don't care. I have the last name. I will rest when I have finished, when Stiv Kay has payed for his sins."

She glanced out the window, keeping track of Avalina as the asari moved around the side of the cabin, still apparently clearing away traps.

"Vorcha shadow me," he said, drawing her attention back to him. "I hear their hissed words, barely coherent, speech like a child. 'Nice clothes,' one says, 'lots of credits.' I keep walking, tracking them by the creaks of their armor and the shuffle of their steps. Most likely Blood Pack. I don't wish to kill them, but I will if I must." His head twitched to the side, as if in response to a sudden sound. "A shift in their steps alerts me to the attack, weapons whir to life. Biotics surround me, dancing across my scales, summoned by my will. I turn, flinging out the energy in a Warp, drawing my pistol, prepared to fight. A Singularity dances in front of the vorcha, pulling them in, catching me by surprise. Glance over my shoulder. Asari, well trained commando judging by her stance, assault rifle aimed at the vorcha."

Seeing Avalina moving back to the skycar, Jasmine lifted her hand to brush her knuckles over Thane's cheek, pulling him from the memory. "She's coming back."

He blinked, gaze focusing on Avalina. "I see. I'll share the rest of the story with you later, if you wish."

She nodded as Avalina opened the door. The asari gave Thane one, quick jerk of her head and stepped out of his way. He climbed from the vehicle and then rounded it, moving to open Jasmine's door. Wrapping her arm around his shoulder when he stooped to help her out of the skycar, she took the opportunity to brush her lips over his, earning her a smile. He helped her through the uneven terrain and up the steps to the door before returning to help Avalina with their bags.

Once he got the cabin unlocked, Avalina went in ahead of them, scouting out the interior, Jasmine assumed. Thane carried their bags inside, and Jasmine followed after him, stopping just inside the door to look around. The walls were completely bare, the furniture draped with cloth, a layer of dust settled in over everything in the place. It didn't look like anyone had been inside for quite some time.

Avalina reappeared in the doorway of what appeared to be a guest room, resting her hand against the doorframe. "I'll go get groceries and cleaning supplies." She turned her attention to Jasmine. "Do you need anything else?"

* * *

Thane moved into the kitchen, opening a cabinet and pulling down a dust covered glass. Turning on the water, he let it run for a moment, clearing the pipes of any stagnant water. Looking beneath the sink, he found an old bottle of detergent, and after looking over the contents to make sure nothing unsavory grew inside, he squirted some on the glass. He washed the glass off, rubbing his thumb across the smooth surface beneath the stream coming from the faucet. Satisfied it was clean and all traces of the detergent removed, he filled it with cool water and returned to where Jasmine sat on the couch, the dust covering having been removed.

"Which bag is the halgraven in?" he asked, handing her the glass.

She pointed to one of her bags, and he opened it, shuffling around the contents until he found both the opened bottle of halgraven and her supplements. They'd been sure to stock up on the non-narcotic pain reliever before leaving Ferris Fields. As for the supplements, he would have to place an order for more and hope she didn't run out before they arrived; they both kept a bottle on hand, so it shouldn't be too big of an issue. He brought the bottles over to her, opening them before handing them over and letting her shake the dose out into her palm. Capping them when she handed them back, he returned them to her bag.

"Avalina interfered on Omega, coming to my aid against a handful of vorcha who saw me in my weakened state and mistook me for an easy target," he said, closing the bag and moving to sit next to her on the couch.

He considered simply sharing the memories with her, but it would be time consuming, and it'd offer no real information other than his own internal musings as he came to trust and care for the asari. Though, of course, he'd answer whatever questions she might have, share whatever pieces of him that she wished. He took the glass from her when she finished swallowing her pills, setting it on the table. Leaning back, he lifted his arm, and she nestled in against him.

"You're talking about the One-Hour Massacre on Omega, aren't you?" She pressed her palm against the bare scales above his vest and tilted her head back to meet his gaze.

"Indeed." He dipped his head. "A time I am not proud of, by any means."

She hummed, caressing his chest. "I don't blame you for reacting the way you did. I don't know if I'd have the mental strength to make myself keep going and get revenge, but I'd want to."

He gave her a smile, knowing it probably looked as sad as he felt at hearing those words from her mouth. He'd never want it for her, never want her to know the permanent marring of her soul. Lowering his face, he kissed her forehead, running his fingers through her hair. "I hope you never have to know what such a thing might give you the strength to do."

She sighed, tucking her head in against his chest. "So what happened after the vorcha?"

"After, I thanked Avalina and left, determined to get someplace safe where I could begin my search for a trace on Stiv Kay. She followed me, though. Told me I looked as if I were about to fall over at any moment, and then I really would be easy prey." He chuckled, recalling the more vibrant words Avalina used.

" _Sure, go ahead and pass out, just don't land with your ass up." She rolls her eyes at me, shakes her head. "Pretty face like yours, Goddess only knows what'll happen to you on Omega." Blue lips turn up in a smirk. She holds her hands up. "Unless you're into that sort of thing, no judgement here."_

"I argued with her, told her to leave me be, but she was right. I made it only another block before my exhaustion won out, and I nearly collapsed. Avalina was there, pulling me back to my feet and led me through Omega to a room she rented on the station." He stopped talking for a moment, remembering the fury he felt at his own weakness.

" _Idiot. Get up." Fingers slide under my arms. I try to knock them away. Try to rage against this stranger who dares insert herself where she isn't welcome. Who dares stand in the way of my claiming the life I am owed. But can't. I don't have the strength. She grunts, pulling me upright. "Come on, I've got a place you can sleep it off."_

Absently, he lowered his hand to trail his fingers over Jasmine's smooth skin along her arm. "I'd become delirious by the time we arrived, slipping in and out of memories." He'd unwittingly told Avalina about Irikah and his revenge, his need to find the last man, Stiv Kay, and kill him so Irikah might be put to rest. "I woke up some hours later, head clear, and pulled my biotics around me the second I realized I was in an unfamiliar location, being watched over by an asari."

Jasmine let out a soft snort. "I bet that went over well."

"Not as badly as you might imagine. She stood, leveling her unflinching gaze on me before opening her omni-tool. The events from the day before came back to me as I watched her approach. Without saying anything, she bent and waved her omni-tool over mine and then left the room."

"What was it?" Jasmine tilted her head back to glance at him again, curiosity in her eyes.

He smiled, leaning in to kiss her just because he could. "When I looked, I found a dossier on Stiv Kay. She'd found him for me while I slept."

"That was … nice of her," she said but lifted her eyebrow, making it more of a question.

"Indeed. I spent two days with her on Omega, regaining my strength, learning about her." He tilted his head a little. "When the time came for me to leave to go to the Citadel to track Stiv Kay, she offered to join me, insisting she no longer had any reason to stay on Omega herself."

"She didn't live on Omega?" Jasmine asked.

"She … went there to visit someone, attempted to convince them to leave, but they refused." As much as he wished to tell Jasmine whatever she wanted to know, he knew she'd understand his hesitancy to divulge information that wasn't his to share.

" _My daughter lives here, shaking her ass in Aria's bar. Goddess knows she's going to end up dead if she stays here, just another corpse to toss into the incinerators, but she's grown, I can't make her leave. As much as I want to." She sighs, turns away from me. "You remind me of her father." Bitterness mixes with sorrow in her voice. "Another damn drell who didn't know what was best, too foolish to not answer the door when trouble knocks."_

He cleared his throat. "I declined, but after I found Stiv Kay, after I killed him … I called Avalina. I can't say for certain why, I think I just needed to tell someone, anyone, I'd fulfilled my oath. Little did I realize she'd followed me to the Citadel despite my refusal, leaving on a ship just hours after I departed Omega."

"Sounds like she really likes you," she said, something … cautious, guarded in her voice. Then, she snorted softly and added, "Or, you insulted her and she wanted the chance to kick your ass."

Thane chuckled. "I think you may be confusing Avalina with yourself, siha."

She scoffed, a light, playful sound. "It's still going to happen. One of these days."

"I have no doubts." He grinned, stroking her hair.

"So, what happened next?" She hooked her fingers into the edge of his vest, tugging the leather down as she let her arm hang.

"I sat down next to Stiv Kay's body, waiting for C-Sec to arrive," he said, and she looked up at him with one brow drawn in low, the other arched, "but she found me first. She convinced me to leave with her, and together we traveled here to Lusia."

"How'd she convince you to leave?" she asked, her features smoothing back out.

"She reminded me that I held hanar secrets, regardless of whether or not I remained in the Compact. To allow myself to be captured would be to endanger the people I once swore to serve and protect with my life." He sighed. "Even with as lost and numb as I felt, I couldn't bring myself to dishonor the hanar who cared for me, raised me."

Jasmine hummed, pulling her hand free from his vest to take his hand in hers, running her thumb along his knuckles.

"I stayed with her for a few weeks, barely leaving the room she allowed me to live in, let alone the house." He sucked in a shuddering breath, remembering the utter desolation he felt after ending Stiv Kay, then the complete apathy which followed on its heels. "In time, she convinced me to go on with my life and stop waiting for death. I wasn't ready to take on contracts, though. So I bought this piece of land when the asari who lived here went to the sea. She had no relatives, so it sold in auction. I continued to live here for three months until I felt it was time to move on. Avalina checked in on me regularly, and when I felt ready to leave, she promised to keep watch over the cabin in case I ever needed to return."

* * *

Jasmine made her way out to the porch to sit in an old, hand-carved, wooden chair. It only took sneezing twice, the dull ache in her shoulder and side flaring into something sharper and more threatening, as she tried to help clean the cabin before she excused herself. Her omni-tool vibrated against her wrist no sooner than she sat down. Opening it, she recognized Rift's number and smiled.

She accepted the call, smile widening as soon as the boy's face appeared on the screen. "Hey, stranger. How's it going?"

He gave her an odd look. "Jasmine, it's me. Rift."

She snorted, "Yeah, I—"

His face broke into a shit-eating grin, and she realized she'd just been had by a kid.

"Alright, wiseguy." She gave him a shake of her head. "What's up?"

"Nothing." He pulled both shoulders up in a shrug. "Just haven't talked to you in awhile. Mouse said he thought you got shot, so I wanted to make sure you're okay."

"How the hell did Mouse know I got shot?" She arched an eyebrow.

Rift tilted his head toward his shoulder, lifting one side of his mouth up. "So you _did_ get shot?"

"Yeah," she said with a frown, "but I'm alright. No big deal."

He looked as if he didn't believe her, face scrunched up, eyebrow raised. "Dad says it hurts really, really, really bad to be shot."

She snorted. "It does. But, a doctor patched me up, and I'm getting better."

"Will it leave a scar?" He opened his eyes a little wider, leaning in towards the camera.

"Yeah," she said with a nod.

"Cool," he said, earning him a laugh, to which he grinned.

The door opened, and Avalina stepped out. "You shouldn't—Oh, hello," she said, gaze zeroing in on Rift.

"Hello." He leaned back a little, blinking. "Who are you?"

Jasmine snorted, shaking her head. "Manners. I know your mother's taught you a few by now."

He scrunched up his nose. "Sorry."

Avalina laughed, the sound light and airy, before moving to squat down next to Jasmine, resting her elbow on the arm of Jasmine's chair. "It's quite alright. I don't mind. My name is Avalina, and what might yours be?"

He smiled leaning back in towards the camera. "Rift. Are you Jasmine's friend?"

Avalina glanced at Jasmine before turning her attention back to the omni-tool. "Well, we've only just met, but I hope to be."

 _Hmm._

"She's a friend of Thane's," Jasmine offered.

"Sere Krios?" he asked, and then when she nodded, he added, "Is he there, too?"

Avalina raised a brow, glancing at Jasmine.

"I met Rift through Thane … sorta. More like he hired Rift to pump me for information. It's a long story."

Avalina's lips spread into a slow smile. "Fair enough." She glanced back at Rift. "He is here, would you like for me to go get him for you?"

Rift nodded, smile growing. "Yeah!"

Avalina chuckled, pushing herself back up to her full height and disappeared inside the cabin once more. Jasmine turned back to the screen in time to see Jessica, the oldest of the Williams girls, plop down on Rift's bed next to him, stretching out to prop her elbow on his back, resting her hand in her palm. She laughed as Rift squirmed, trying to buck her off of him, but he eventually gave in with a dramatic sigh.

"Hi, Jessica." She smiled, taking in the teenager's face.

 _Shit, she's almost eighteen._

"Hey, Jasmine." Jessica grinned, digging the fingers of her free hand into Rift's side, making him squeal and squirm. She arched an eyebrow. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Jasmine smirked. "I'm just thinking I can't believe you're almost eighteen. And … you really look a lot like your dad."

"Uh!" Jessica sneered, pulling the corner of her lip in towards her nose.

Jasmine chuckled. "Aw, come on, your dad's a good looking guy."

"Ew. Stop being gross." Jessica rolled her eyes.

The door opened, Thane stepping outside while Avalina lingered in the doorway, watching the land around the cabin. Jasmine knew the moment Jessica registered his presence, her eyes widening as she looked him over head to toe, lips shifting into an almost seductive smile. Jasmine cleared her throat a little, drawing Jessica's attention back to her, and lifted her eyebrow, offering the girl a playful challenge. He'd taken his jacket off to clean, highlighting his well defined chest and bare arms. He really was a sight, and she didn't think he had half a clue as to how sexy he truly looked.

"Sere Krios!" Rift grinned, managing to wriggle out from beneath his sister to sit up on the bed, and a moment later, Jessica sat up next to him, hand smoothing down her hair.

"Hello, Rift," Thane said, perching on the arm of Jasmine's chair.

Jessica elbowed Rift in the ribs, just hard enough to get his attention. "Introduce me," she whispered, but her voice carried over the connection plainly.

Jasmine snorted, rolling her eyes. "Thane, this is Jessica. Rift's oldest sister. She's _almost_ eighteen."

Jessica shot Jasmine a withering glare before turning her attention back to Thane, flashing him a rather charming smile. "Hi!"

Thane dipped his head. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Jessica."

Smirking, Jasmine leaned over and draped her arm over Thane's bent knee. He glanced at her, grinned, and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. Rift's eyes widened, gaze shifting back and forth between the two of them.

Jessica lifted an eyebrow. "So, what, are you two a thing?"

"Yep," Jasmine said, drawing the word out, making her lips pop at the end.

"Ugh. I hate you." Jessica rolled her eyes but smiled at Jasmine when she met Jasmine's gaze again.

Rift crinkled his nose. "I knew you two were gonna start kissing."

Thane chuckled. "Indeed."

"Where'd Avalina go? Is she coming back?" Rift asked, apparently already over the announcement.

"I'm here," Avalina said, stepping back out the door to where Rift could see her.

"Do you know Mila, too?"

Avalina glanced at Jasmine, the question clear in her eyes.

"Mila's a very young asari who lives on the Citadel." Jasmine avoided mentioning Mila was a duct-rat. She knew asari didn't take well to the idea of their youth being homeless, and often times would go to great lengths to bring them back into the fold, whether or not the asari in question wanted to rejoin their ranks. That, and, she really just didn't have much of a reason to trust Avalina other than Thane said he did. It was mostly good enough for her, but not enough for her to really offer more than the commando needed to know.

"I see," Avalina said, her gaze shifting to scan the yard before returning to Rift. "No, I don't believe I've met Mila."

"Oh." Rift glanced at Jessica. "This is my sister, Jessica."

Jessica lifted a hand, far less enthusiastic about meeting the asari than she was Thane. "Hey."

Avalina smiled. "Hello, Jessica."

Turning her attention to Thane, Avalina said, "It will be dark soon. The _niathik_ still hunt these areas."

"What's a _niathik_?" Rift asked, which saved Jasmine from having to ask herself.

"A predatory creature, known to hunt in packs. I believe you would consider them to be similar to the wolves of Earth," Thane said.

"There aren't many wolves left on Earth." Jessica frowned. "They're on the endangered species list. _Again_. My senior class ran a drive last month to help raise funds for endangered species, and wolves were in the top thirty."

"How unfortunate." Thane's fingers tightened a little against Jasmine's arm as they spoke of the _niathik_ and wolves, apparently _niathik_ were something he felt the need to protect her from. "I've never had the opportunity to see a wolf outside of the occasional nature show or book." He looked down at her, voice soft when he said, "We should go back inside, siha. I believe the air has cleared enough for your comfort."

No sooner than the words left his mouth, did Jasmine hear a low, grating growl from somewhere off to their left. Avalina flared, incredibly strong biotics twisting and writhing around her as she turned to face the woods.

"Time for me to go, guys. Love you." Jasmine stood with Thane's help.

"Stay safe, Jasmine," Jessica said, a seriousness beyond her years sweeping over her eyes. "We love you, too."

"Bye," Rift said, and then the call went black.


	51. Prognosis Poor

**Prognosis Poor**

Jasmine suppressed a groan and rolled over again, the howls of the _niathik_ seeming to echo off the mountains in the distance. She wasn't particularly frightened of the animals—they were outside, and she was safe inside—but Jesus Christ did they ever _shut up_? After two nights of listening to the damn things, she kinda wanted to grab her sniper rifle and climb up on the roof. It didn't help she couldn't stop worrying about Isaac, and she supposed Raúl, too. Thane stirred next to her, turning over to press his chest against her back and wrapped his arm around her, brushing his lips over her head.

"Are you in pain, siha?" he asked, voice soft next to her ear.

"No." She put her arm on top of his, tugging his hand up under her chin, tucking it in with hers. "Just can't sleep."

"You're concerned for Isaac." His words weren't a question so much as an acknowledgement.

"I just don't understand why he won't even let me send him a message until he reaches out to me." She sucked in a deep breath, blowing it out hard in her irritation. "I never should've said anything about Cerberus to him."

He nuzzled in against the nape of her neck, pushing the hair aside with his face to kiss her skin, his warmth and soft touch helping to soothe the beast within. "I'm glad you chose to share your burden with him."

"Why?" She raised an eyebrow, turning her head toward him despite not being able to see him. She figured he'd think it was a bad idea, one risking her ending up in prison, indefinitely separated from him again. Thank God it didn't go that way, she didn't think she could handle it. The few months she spent in a cell, isolated, completely cut off from everyone she knew and loved …. It took her to some dark places a few times, places that made her understand her mother a little better, and the only thing that kept her going was knowing they didn't have any reason to keep her forever, and then she'd get to see Thane again.

"Because … it troubled you, and I was not able to be of more assistance. It seems as if your trust is well placed in him, and I believe him to be more than capable of ensuring his own safety." Thane let out a soft hum. "I confess, I have another reason for choosing Lusia, for coming to Avalina."

"What's that?" Jasmine asked. Initially, she'd wondered if they once had a more intimate relationship, but after a day of watching them together, her doubts were easily set aside. Not that she would've faulted Thane for having past relationships, it just would've made things a little more awkward. As it was, she couldn't get a good read on Avalina, and the asari was staying with them at the cabin for the time being.

"Avalina has skills which may be of use in gathering information on Cerberus and the Alliance, should you choose to confide in her." He pulled his hand free when she loosened her grip and used it to push hair back behind her ear, tracing the line of her jaw. "It is your choice, of course, and I'm sure you'll wish to speak with Isaac first, but she is more than capable of hacking into military grade networks. It was a specialty of hers when she served as a huntress. She is also quite the skilled fighter, and as you saw, her biotics are substantial."

Jasmine thought about it for a moment. She already worried about Cerberus going after Theodus next, and the longer she went without hearing from Isaac, the more dread writhed in the pit of her stomach. Did she really want to involve someone else in on all of it? Avalina was already in danger being with them if Cerberus _did_ show up, but at least she didn't have a target painted on her back. "You trust her enough for this?"

"I do." He stroked his hand down the back of her head, each pass of his hand relaxing tense muscles a little more. "I trust her more than I've been able to trust anyone over the years since Irikah's death, until I met you."

Her brow twitched, the weight of such a claim settling in around her shoulders like a warm blanket. "Because of what she did for you on Omega and finding Stiv Kay?"

"No, not exactly." He wrapped his arm back around her, hand settling on her forearm, stroking his thumb back and forth.

She hummed, sorting through what information he'd given her on Avalina and what she picked up just from watching him with the asari. There was definitely something more there, though, even if it wasn't romantic; something bigger, beyond what she already knew. It spiked her curiosity and set her mental wheels spinning, potential scenarios piecing themselves together in her mind.

After a few seconds, Thane added, "For what I've done for her since. Perhaps she'll allow me to share her story with you, if I ask."

She wouldn't push, not on that at least. She understood all too well the need to hold other's secrets. "What did she mean by her 'requirements' the day we arrived?"

He stayed quiet for a long moment, the rhythm of his movements against her arm slowing to a standstill. "If what I ask of her requires her to take a life, she will do so without hesitation, but in return, I must save the life of another."

Jasmine considered it for a second, trying to ferret out what was so bad about the trade off. It seemed to be a standing arrangement, so he didn't mean a particular someone's life. She knew he didn't have any problem involving himself to save someone being attacked, it was how he got himself stabbed on the Citadel. Did Avalina have a list of people needing rescued or something? Is that how she spent her time, going around saving people, being all heroic?

She gave herself a mental shrug to push her musings aside and said, "Sounds like a good thing to me."

"By refusing the next contract offered to me," he said, voice dry. "Regardless of the specifics."

"Oh." She mulled it over for a minute, making him turn down a contract was a completely different story, one that didn't sit well with Jasmine. "If I ask for her help with Cerberus, is she going to expect me to refuse the next job I'm up for … because I can't do that, not unless I'm calling it quits on the Alliance. And … I don't know if I'm ready to give up on the Alliance, despite this shit with Project Evolution."

"No, siha." He kissed the back of her head. "You won't be expected to do anything. Any payment, whatever the manner she requires, I will take care of."

She huffed, rolling her eyes. "You can't keep doing that."

"What?"

"Trying to pay for everything for me." She lifted her hand, letting it flop back down against the mattress.

"Why? I'm more than able." He shifted, pulling himself up a little higher on the bed, and rubbed his cheek against the side of her head. "Whatever I have is yours, siha."

She opened her mouth to offer a snarky retort, but closed it again, making herself take a second to think through what she really felt and why. "It makes me feel like you don't think I can take care of it myself."

"Not at all," he said, surprise evident in his voice. "It simply pleases me to be able to do things for you, but if it offends you …."

She sighed, feeling a little like an ass despite herself. "Sometimes. A little."

"My apologies, it's not my intent." He sounded almost sad, and she suspected it stemmed from his past, the times he talked about working crap jobs and struggling to provide for his family. It probably meant a lot to him to be _able_ to help take care of her, and there she was telling him not to.

She rolled over to her back so she could look up at him, silhouetted against the deep shadows filling the room. "I'm just … I'm not used to it, I guess. You're so—you're just so damn _good_ to me." Pressing her hand against his cheek, she felt him smiling. "I love you, Thane."

"And I you, Jasmine." He leaned in, mouth finding hers.

* * *

She sat out on the porch, finding she rather liked the old, wooden chairs and the rustic scenery. Night approached, but Avalina hadn't come out yet to chase Jasmine back inside, so she sat there, sipping the bittersweet _bla'ada_ tea Avalina made for her—claiming it would help her heal faster.

A few minutes later, the door opened, and Avalina stepped outside, carrying her own cup of _bla'ada_. She smiled at Jasmine and took a seat in the chair next to her. After a few quiet moments, Avalina said, "I didn't think it'd be possible for him to fall in love again."

Jasmine glanced at the asari before turning her attention back out over the clearing the cabin was nestled in, watching two, small, furry creatures battle it out over an insect hive of some sorts at the base of a tree; apparently, the bugs were a delicacy worth fighting for. "Why's that?"

She knew why. Even if she didn't know Thane back then, she knew how devastated he'd been over Irikah's death, and listening to him talk, even just a little, about hunting down the men responsible told her all she really needed to know. She was lucky as fuck to win Thane's heart after the shit he'd gone through. But still, she wanted to hear Avalina's response. She was still feeling the other woman out, deciding on whether or not she wanted to drag Avalina into the mess—if Isaac gave her the greenlight.

Avalina chuckled, drawing Jasmine's attention back to her. "I think you know perfectly well why. There's more to you than meets the eye, Jasmine. Such a pretty name, fitting for such a beautiful, young woman. Your mother must be proud."

Cold washed over Jasmine, making her fight the urge to wrap her arms around herself. She took a sip of her tea, tasting far more bitter than sweet all of the sudden. "My mother's dead."

"I see. I didn't know, I'm sorry to hear this." Avalina sat her cup down on the arm of her chair. "You humans have such short lifespans … but surely she couldn't have been so old with a daughter so young."

Turning to look at the asari, Jasmine narrowed her eyes, the hairs on the back of her neck prickling, standing on end. "What are you after, Avalina?"

Avalina blinked and smiled, her annoying, ancient, asari wisdom showing through. Jasmine didn't know Avalina's actual age, but she figured the asari to be well into her matron years. There was just something about the way asari moved once they had children, a way they held themselves, a look in their eyes … and the goddamn smile they gave everyone belonging to a species with a shorter lifespan. As if every alien they met was a child, bumbling through life.

"I'd hoped we could be friends." Avalina picked her cup up again, taking a sip, her gaze never leaving Jasmine.

"And you think the way to make friends is to point out that my mother was too young to die when she did? If you want to know how she died, why don't you just ask?" Jasmine arched an eyebrow, some distant part of her mind warning her she was overreacting and lashing out at someone who really didn't deserve her ire. But it didn't stop her. "She committed suicide. When I was eleven. My father died about a year later, in a plane crash, but it didn't matter a whole lot because I hadn't heard one word from him since about a month before Mom killed herself. Does that satisfy your curiosity?"

Slowly, Avalina set her cup back down, lowering her gaze. "I have offended you."

"Yeah, well, get in line." Jasmine huffed, turning her attention back out at the woods. "Seems like everyone offends me these days."

"And why is that, I wonder?" Avalina asked, her tone curious but not really intrusive.

Jasmine snorted, bringing her cup to her lips. "Probably because being shot makes me bitchy." She took a swallow of tea, setting the cup down on the arm of her chair.

 _And I'm hormonal, but you wouldn't understand._

Avalina laughed, and Jasmine glanced at her again, a slight smile lifting the corners of her mouth. The asari turned, pushing her back against the corner of the chair, angling her body towards Jasmine as she crossed her long legs. "It is a rather unpleasant experience, but I doubt that's all there is to it."

Jasmine shrugged, turning her cup back and forth on the arm of the chair. "There's plenty more to it, but I'm not exactly at liberty to discuss it with you. No offense."

"None taken." Avalina waved a hand before settling it down on her thigh. "What has Thane told you of me?"

"Not much." Jasmine sighed, shifting in her chair a little to keep the asari in her peripherals while she watched the creatures, having ceased their battle to instead feast together on the beatles within the nest. Pity. She'd been rooting for the smaller one, imagining it as herself and the larger one as Leon.

 _Asshole._

Avalina tilted her head. "Such as?"

Jasmine shrugged again. "Just that you dragged his ass out of trouble on Omega, helped him find Stiv Kay, and then convinced him to come here instead of letting himself be taken in by C-Sec."

"That's all?" Avalina arched her brow when Jasmine looked at her.

"No." Jasmine picked up her cup, turning in her chair to face Avalina. She wasn't really up for the tête-à-tête Avalina seemed so dead set on, but why the hell not? She might as well give the asari some food for thought. "He also said you were on Omega because you were visiting someone, trying to convince them to leave. I figure they're probably a relative, likely your daughter, but it's not really my business." She caught the tick of Avalina's head, letting her know she hit her mark dead on. "You're a huntress, or at least you were. He didn't say why you left. My credits are on it having something to do with _whoever_ you were trying to get to leave Omega."

They watched each other in silence for a moment. Assessing each other. Jasmine knew Avalina tested her, and she knew Avalina was aware of Jasmine taking her measure, too.

Jasmine arched an eyebrow. "Or maybe they asked you to do something you didn't like. You're still in your matron years, so I doubt it's anything as simple as retirement. He said you're good at hacking into military servers, it was a part of your job." She waved a hand. "Oh, and the two of you have some agreement where if you kill for him, he has to turn down his next contract. Which is weird, and kinda crappy, but whatever."

"You seem well informed on asari," Avalina said, raising both brows, making the blue markings just below the base of her crest wrinkle into waves.

Jasmine gave her a coy smile, savoring the look of surprise on Avalina's face. "You're not the first asari to tell me I'm beautiful."

Avalina laughed again, the sound helping to win Jasmine over despite her crabby mood. "I like you, Jasmine. You're fun. Not at all what I would've expected Thane to be drawn to, but I suppose it makes a particular sort of sense."

"How's that?" Jasmine sipped her tea, watching the asari with curiosity.

"You're vibrant, full of life and fire." Avalina gave Jasmine a sad sort of smile and shook her head. "And he spent a very long time surrounding himself with nothing but death and darkness."

Jasmine nodded, taking it in for a moment. It didn't come as news to her; when she met Thane, he was broody and reclusive, but once she learned of his history, she understood why. "You would've liked me better back when he and I first met, then. I'm not feeling so very full of life and fire lately. But there's been a lot of shit going on, a lot beating me down." She glanced around the woods again, dusk settling in around them. "I'm surprised you haven't warned me to go back inside yet."

"Why?" Avalina smirked, lifting her brow again. "You've been warned twice, you choose to keep coming out here while the sun is setting. Young as you are, you are not a child … not my child."

Jasmine smiled, softening a little more towards Avalina at what seemed like an acknowledgement she had children of her own. Pulling her leg up to rest the sole of her foot on the edge of the chair despite the twinge of pain it created in her still healing side, she asked, "She still on Omega?"

"No." Avalina took a deep breath, turning her attention to the woods. Her voice carried a soft, sorrowful tone when she said, "Omega snuffed out her fire completely, she has gone to the sea to be with her father."

"I'm sorry," Jasmine said, letting the silence sit as she mulled over Avalina's word choice. "Not in the embrace of the Goddess, but gone to the sea … her father was drell?"

"He was." Avalina met her gaze again, something sad and painful coloring her eyes a darker shade of gray. "Tarava chose to follow her father's religion, and I honor her choice." She watched Jasmine for long, quiet seconds, her lips parted as if she struggled with something she wanted to say. "Thane asked if he might share with you something from our past. He believes it will help you to learn to trust me, and he indicated there's something you may need my assistance with, but you aren't likely to ask until you feel you can rely on me to hold your secrets and serve your best interests."

Jasmine didn't say anything, just pulled her arms down between her knee and her side.

"I will help you, if you ask, if it's within my means to do so, because he loves you. And as I said, I like you, and I hope we can be friends. I have so few anymore. But there are things in my past, my own moments of darkness and death, which I do not particularly care to relive or to share with others. I hope you can understand this and know it isn't a reflection on you."

"Yeah," Jasmine said after a moment, after all, she had her own moments of darkness and death. "I understand."

* * *

Thane watched them talk from the window in the kitchen, their voices muffled, but loud enough for him to make out. He smiled, pleased to see the two of them getting along. He never felt especially close to Avalina, despite the asari's best efforts—he simply didn't allow himself to grow close to others after Irikah's death; not until Jasmine—but he did trust her. He knew her well, even cared about her, he realized. She knew him better than his other contacts as well, though it hadn't necessarily been his intentions. Either way, all of the little ways his life and Jasmine's were intertwining, even if under less than ideal circumstances, brought him joy.

Turning back to his meal preparations, he lost himself in thought, his mind turning to the things he'd found in Sahnira's apartment. Perhaps he should reach out to Dr. Solus, ask if the salarian notified anyone with authority on the situation. He should reach out to Theodus, too. He knew Theodus well enough to realize the specialist's silence on the topic wasn't indicative of a lack of discovery, but neither did it mean he'd found anything of worth, either. Thane hadn't given him a timeframe to complete his research, and Theodus wouldn't contact Thane until he'd finished—or found something especially important. Despite knowing it wasn't his responsibility to look into the matter, the entire contract disturbed Thane enough he found it difficult to put it behind him and simply walk away.

 _Corlina reaches up, rubs her temple. She seems confused, conflicted. "I … I don't know how to describe them. They were enormous, and frightening … and beautiful."_

The greatest mystery yet. What were the things Sahnira showed Corlina? Enormous, frightening, and beautiful, she'd said. Was it perhaps the orb used to indoctrinate Sahnira, as the matriarch implied? No, it didn't seem to carry the ring of truth. There was something else there, something he didn't yet know, and the possibilities frightened him.

The door opened, and he turned his head to look over his shoulder, smiling as Jasmine and Avalina came inside. Jasmine moved with greater ease, he noticed. It'd still be at least a couple of weeks before she'd be healed enough to return to her work, but he suspected Isaac would wait even longer.

She came to him, setting her empty cup down on the counter before slipping her arm around his waist, resting her head against his shoulder as she looked into the pots and pans on the stove. "Smells really good. I'm starving."

He chuckled. "It's almost done." Shifting, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder, a soft, approving hum moving through him as she brushed her hand over the scales of his chest above his vest. "Do you feel like setting the table?"

"Sure." She pushed up on her toes and kissed him before retreating, moving to the cabinets to gather dishes.

Once dinner was ready, they gathered together around the table, enjoying their meal with quiet conversation. Thane tried to stay engaged, but his thoughts kept slipping back to Sahnira and the collectors. Jasmine didn't seem to mind, although he felt certain she'd noticed his distraction. She reached over on occasion, settling her hand down on his knee as she talked to Avalina about Tarava and life on Lusia. When they finished eating, Avalina offered to clear the table and do the dishes.

"Thank you," Thane said, pushing his chair back from the table. "If you'll excuse me, I have a call I need to make in private."

Avalina glanced over her shoulder at him, brow twitching but shrugged. "I'm going to retire to my room when I'm done in here, but I'll be awake for awhile longer if either of you need me."

He dipped his head to her, once again glad she'd agreed to stay at the cabin while they were on Lusia. He regretted the need, undoubtedly she'd rather be in her own home, but she didn't seem to mind too much. He turned to look down at Jasmine, who watched him with curiosity in her eyes.

Leaning down, he kissed her before whispering, "I want to speak with Dr. Solus."

Understanding flashed through her eyes, and her features relaxed as she nodded. "I think I'm going to take my laptop out back. I doubt the _niathik_ will be too interested in trying to force their way through the traps Avalina set out there to rip through the shutters …" She grinned, pulling him back to her for another kiss. "… but I'll take my gun just in case."

He smiled, brushing his thumb over her cheek as he straightened. "I'll come sit with you when I've finished."

She nodded, slapping his rear when he turned to walk away, making him laugh. He made his way to the master bedroom and closed the door behind him, settling in at the small desk built into the far wall. He opened his laptop and entered Dr. Solus' contact information.

The salarian answered right away, blinking his large, dark eyes twice before looking away. "Ah. Expected you might call. Nearly finished with subjects, all believed to be safe to release into general population except Corlina. No traces of contagion biological or chemical in nature detected. However, behavior clearly suggests instability. Defiant when asked to give account of interactions with Sahnira. Refused to describe images mentioned to you. Scans reveal increased activity in auditory cortex, visual cortex, orbital cortex, caudate nucleus, cingulate gyrus, and thalamus."

"I don't know what that means," Thane said when the doctor paused to take a breath.

Dr. Solus looked at him and blinked again before turning his attention back to something else on his desk. "Auditory and visual hallucinations, obsessive-compulsive behaviors. Medications intended to treat symptoms show no improvement. Subject likely remains danger to self and others. Unethical to release her. Will continue to run tests. Prognosis poor. Probability of institutionalization high."

"I see." Thane took a deep breath, acknowledging the sense of disappointment sweeping through him and let it go. "And the information I sent you from Sahnira's laptop?"

"Reviewed and sent to contacts in STG along with account of preceding events leading to discovery and current situation on Omega. Sahnira unnamed, assassin responsible unnamed. STG team on Omega now, investigating. Agreed you're irrelevant. Displeased by refusal to release Sahnira's body to STG, but provided with all data gathered and brain tissue samples."

Thane lifted his brow ridges. "Sahnira's body … she's still with you?" He'd expected the doctor to take her corpse to the incinerators after he'd gathered whatever information he needed.

"In cold storage. Tests completed. Can have her sent somewhere or cremated here." Dr. Solus tilted his head a little, bringing a datapad into view to stare at for a second before setting it aside again. "No oceans on Omega. No soil for burial, either."

The news stunned Thane. He realized he'd never actually taken the time to consider what might happen to a body once he completed his contract. Of course he realized his targets would eventually be found, and loved ones would mourn their passing, but he never considered how many corpses might be left for days or weeks at a time in a morgue, waiting for someone to claim them. "I—I'll need to make a call to see if there is anyone to request her remains."

Dr. Solus looked up again, and blinked. "Family on Kahje. Haven't contacted them. Assumed you would."

It worried Thane to think the doctor might have learned of Sahnira's connection to Alahana, but then he realized Dr. Solus must mean Sahnira's other relatives, her mother and father. "Why?"

"Indicated respect for target, wish to honor remains." Dr. Solus waved a hand dismissively. "Suspected a familiarity."

Thane lowered his gaze, a little unnerved by the salarian. "I see. Was there anything of use in the files found at 'the barn?'"

"Interesting studies on left-handed salarians and batarian monozygotic twins." Dr. Solus glanced up again. "Extensive logs, videos of living vivisections. Conclusions drawn nothing but conjecture."

"What are your thoughts?" Thane raised his brow ridge, mildly annoyed the salarian simply didn't tell him whatever conclusions he'd drawn from the insanity.

"Collectors interested in studying unique characteristics of variety of species, suggests intent to isolate nature of characteristics." Dr. Solus turned to face Thane more squarely, waving a hand as he spoke. "Many possible reasons: genetic manipulation of collectors, same for other species, biological weapons design, possibly looking for compatible traits for reproductive purposes—nature of collector reproduction unknown."

Thane blinked, thought processes taking a moment to catch up to the salarian's rapid-fire speech. "Is there anything definitive you can tell me, Doctor?"

Dr. Solus sucked in a deep breath, sitting up a little straighter as he did so. "Yes. You saved many lives." He punctuated his statement with a curt nod. "Also, left lung responding better to treatment than right lung. Suggest adding citexprin to next round of treatments. Can forward findings and medical recommendations to physician of choice."

Thane chuckled, despite himself. The salarian amused him, even if Dr. Solus left him reeling. "Ah. Thank you, I'll take it under advisement."

Dr. Solus smiled and blinked. "Happy to help."

"I'll let you know what Sahnira's family would like to do with her body," Thane said.

"Good." Dr. Solus gave him another curt nod. "Should get back to work. Tests to run."

"Of course." Thane dipped his head, and the doctor smiled again before the screen went black.

* * *

Jasmine closed her laptop, the call she'd made to Theodus leaving her feeling drained completely empty. It relieved her to know he was safe, Cerberus hadn't come after him—yet. But he refused to help her torture herself by giving her the gory details of the shit he found on Leon's accounts. He did, at least, tell her the pictures he saw weren't 'distasteful', though 'distasteful' might mean something entirely different for him than it did for her. Goddamn Leon.

The door opened and Thane stepped out onto the covered porch, carrying two, steaming mugs. He smiled at her, handing her a mug before taking a seat in the other chair. "Siha?" His tone carried concern, and she turned to look at him, offering him a reassuring smile.

"I just called Theodus. Wanted to check on him." She lifted the mug of _bla'ada_ and blew over the top before taking a sip. "Everything's good on his end."

He raised his brow ridges, sipping his tea. "Did he say something to upset you?"

She shook her head, grounding herself in his tranquil, calming presence. "No. I upset myself." Huffing, she brushed stay pieces of hair back out of her face. She hated to admit she'd given in to her self-loathing and tried to get Theodus to give her even more cannon fodder, but she figured if anyone understood self-loathing, it was Thane. "I tried to get him to give me more details on the things he found on Leon's accounts … the pictures and letters. He wouldn't, though. Seemed disturbed I even asked." She smirked, letting out a short laugh. "He did offer to smear Leon's name for me, though. Free of charge."

Thane chuckled, reaching over the small table wedged between the chairs to run his fingers along her jaw. "He must be quite fond of you. Theodus does nothing for free."

She smiled, shifting her cup to her other hand to take a hold of his outstretched fingers, kissing the tips of them before lowering their joined hands to the arm of her chair, rubbing her thumb along his knuckles. "What did Dr. Solus have to say?"

He took a deep breath. "Corlina remains unstable, and he thinks she's going to require institutionalization. There is no indication of anything contagious, however. The captives have all been cleared of any issues and will be allowed to return to their homes. He's involved STG, as I'd hoped, and they're on Omega investigating. He's holding my target's body to be shipped back to Kahje, I've contacted her family, and they are making arrangements." He smiled, squeezing her hand. "And, apparently, my left lung is responding to treatments better than the right. He's offered to send my doctors a report, including his recommendations for additional medications."

She didn't like the idea of any part of his treatment doing anything less than its full potential. "Are you going to have him do that?"

He hesitated, tilting his head a little. "I—I haven't decided yet."

Pursing her lips, she fought back an exasperated sigh. "You seemed pretty confident he's a good doctor, right?"

"Indeed," Thane said, nodding.

"So, why not?" she asked, arching her eyebrows.

He let out a soft chuckle and shifted his hand in hers a little. "I suppose it just seems unwise, considering how I met him and what he knows about me."

"So … tell him to send you the report instead." She shrugged, thinking the solution to be an obvious one. "Then, have your doctors verify whatever it says."

"That sounds fair." He squeezed her hand again, turning his sexy as hell smile on her. "Thank you, siha."

"For what?"

He leaned over, lifting her hand to his mouth to kiss her knuckles. "For being a voice of reason when my own fails me."

She snorted, giving him a slow, exaggerated shake of her head. "Oh, you beautiful, sweet, sweet man. If you're using me as your voice of reason, you're doomed."

He laughed and kissed her hand again before sitting back. "I was doomed before I met you, but you have truly saved me, breathed new life into me." He met and held her gaze, voice softening. "I love you, Jasmine. With all that I am."

"I love you, too." She grinned. "And your sense of the dramatic."

He chuckled, squeezing her fingers. "It is the truth, though, siha."

"I know, and I feel the same way." She returned his squeeze, holding the pressure a little longer, trying to convey with her touch what she sucked so much at putting into words. "I hope you know that. I'm just not as poetic."

"I do," he said, and then smirked, "and I continue to love you despite your lack of poetry."

She snorted, grinning at him. "Good."


	52. Place of Bliss

**Place of Bliss**

They'd been on Lusia for nearly a week, and in that time, she still hadn't heard from Isaac. She hurt less and less each day, but with nothing else to keep her busy, her days were occupied primarily with worrying over her handler. The nights weren't really much better. She didn't know how long she should wait before she ignored his orders and reached out to him; a week really wasn't all too long. He said he wanted to make sure Raúl was set up somewhere safe, but he never said how long he thought it might take.

Thane rolled over to his side, shifting on the bed until he was close enough to press his lips against her temple and brush hair back behind her ear. She smiled, turning her head a little to nuzzle against him. Pushing himself up on an elbow, he leaned over and kissed her, just barely touching his lips to hers.

"Are you having trouble sleeping, siha?" He slipped his hand under her shirt, thumb sweeping across her belly button, giving her goosebumps.

She let out a soft sigh, his touch quieting the storm brewing in her mind. "A little."

Closing her eyes, she hummed as she savored his fingers brushing against her stomach, leaving little, hot trails in their wake. Something so simple shouldn't feel so arousing, but it did. It made all of her nerves stand on end, body begging for more. Christ, she wanted him.

Blindly, she lifted her right hand, reaching for him, and he pressed his face against her palm. She smiled, stroking her thumb back and forth along the ridges of his cheek, the division between smooth scale and frills. She loved that part, loved all of his parts. His hand left her stomach, fingers curling under her chin to tilt her head toward him. She opened her mouth to him when he kissed her, tongue flicking over his warm, full lips. He deepened the kiss, and she moved her hand around to thread her fingers through his crest, pulling him in closer.

He brought his hand back to her stomach, palm pressed flat against her skin before sliding over to her left side, kneading her hip and waist. As if some invisible line connected the two points, it sent a rush of heat right between her legs. She reached down, covering his hand with hers and eased it up, tucking his hand the rest of the way beneath her tank top to settle down on her breast. Heart fluttering from even such a tiny amount of contact, her nipple hardened against his palm. He froze, tongue stilling in her mouth before starting to retreat, but she chased after him. A hungry, pleading moan catching in her throat as she lifted her head from the pillow, keeping her lips locked against his. She didn't want him to overthink it, she just wanted to _feel_ him.

He let out a soft croak of a sound filled with some strange mix of confusion and desire, and it sent a shiver down her spine. She slipped her hand away from his crest to run her fingers over his frills, finding them engorged, each ridge standing out against her fingertips as she stroked them, coaxing a moan from him. Tentatively, he brushed his thumb over her nipple, sending waves of need crashing through her. Muscles tightening in her back and shoulders, she arched, lifting herself into his hand, urging him on.

He gave her a gentle squeeze, still far too hesitant and gentle to satisfy her body's cravings, so she pulled her lips away from his to drag her tongue over his frills, hitting his weak spot as she nipped at his throat. He sucked in a shuddering breath, throat vibrating against her teeth in a groan as he shifted his hand up to cup her breast more fully. His fingers closed around her nipple, pinching and twisting with the perfect amount of pressure, tearing a whimper from her and leaving her trembling as electricity rushed through her from the delicious touch. He knew her body so well, exactly where to touch, where to kiss and lick, nip and pinch, pull and scratch to drive her mad with want.

"I don't know if we should …." His voice cracked, words trailing off as she scraped her teeth over his frills.

Kneading at his scales, she pulled him down a little closer and brought her mouth to his ear, whispering, "Make love to me."

"Siha … you're still healing," he said, but his magical fingers kept moving, tugging and squeezing.

Hormone-fueled haze filling her head, she didn't realize how demanding her voice might sound until the words left her mouth again, " _Make love to me_." Sucking in a slow, deep breath, she tried to reign herself in a little as she threaded her fingers through his crest, sliding them back and forth between the ridges. "I miss having you inside of me, Thane. Let me feel you."

He didn't say anything for a moment, but she felt his resolve wavering, his kneading becoming hungrier. Her breath caught in her throat, and she held it there, hips squirming, thighs squeezing against the swollen, wet spot between her legs. She let her pent up breath seep past her lips, carrying a low, pleading groan through her throat on the way out.

Finally, he turned, resting his forehead against hers. "I _want_ to make love to you. _Desperately_. But I'm afraid it'll hurt you."

She licked her lips, mouth and throat feeling dry, sliding her hand down to brush her thumb over his cheek. "We'll be careful. Take it slow," she said, keeping her voice low, doing her best to pour in as much confidence as possible, hoping to reassure him. She nudged his head, tilting her mouth up to him and brushed her lips against his. "I can lay on my side, I'll be fine. I promise."

"On your side?" He sounded confused, but also hopeful.

"Yeah," she whispered, kissing him again, tugging at his lip with her teeth. "Trust me, it'll work."

He let out a soft sigh, and she grinned, knowing she'd won. Tongue pushing its way into her mouth, he shoved her tank top up the rest of the way, exposing both breasts to the air. He shifted a little, pulling his mouth away from hers and lowered his face to her breast, tongue leaving a hot, wet trail over her nipple, lighting her on fire and tearing a jagged moan from her throat. He echoed her with his own moan, twisting to pull his knees up under him, perching over her as he moved his mouth back and forth between her breasts.

She slid her hand down, running it over his shoulder and back, losing herself in the feel of his mouth on her skin and his scales beneath her fingers, every point of contact as bright as a beacon in her mind. He moved down, trailing his tongue over her abdomen, stopping to kiss the fresh scars on her right, tracing them with his fingers before slipping his hands into the waistband of her panties. Steeling herself for the ache in her still-healing muscles, she lifted her hips, letting him slide her panties down. He tugged them over her thighs as she lowered herself to the mattress, bending her knees to help as he pulled them free. Moving between her legs, he kneeled before her, making her ache with anticipation as he tossed her panties aside. Too little light shone in their room for her to see his eyes, yet she felt his gaze on her, taking her in, _worshiping_ her.

He lowered himself, sliding his arms under her legs to grip her hips as he kissed the inside of her thighs. Whimpering when his warm breath washed over her, heightening her sensitivity, her muscles twitched beneath his fingers. Then, his mouth found her, tongue so hot and wet and absolutely amazing, she nearly cried.

She curled, reaching out to him, wanting to touch him to feel closer to him, but the strain on her abdomen acted as a warning flare, forcing her to give up her attempt. Angling himself to the side a little, he moved one of his hands up to close the distance, threading his fingers with hers. Bringing his other hand down between her legs, he slickened his fingers, running them through her wetness, making her groan and lift her hips, eager to feel them slide inside of her, and when they did, she gasped, clenching around him.

She tried to stay still, to keep her abdomen muscles as relaxed as possible, but the urge to move against his hand drove her to roll her hips, pushing him deeper inside. He curled his fingers, sliding them in and out, circling her clit with his tongue, sending shocks of pleasure rushing up and down her body. She moaned, grip tightening on his hand in hers. Squeezing her breast with her free hand, she pinched her nipple, sending fresh waves crashing over her as she rocked her hips. Her scars tugged a little, freshly knitted muscle aching in warning, and she let out a frustrated whimper. He hummed against her, and she knew he was worried.

She sucked in a deep breath, forcing herself to ease up and be still. Stroking her thumb over the webbing between his thumb and finger, she hoped to soothe and reassure him with her touch. "I'm okay, don't stop. God, don't stop."

* * *

Thane removed his fingers from her, the sounds of her pleasure filled cries still echoing in his ears, mixing with the pressure of his own pounding pulse. Sweet Arashu, he ached to be inside of her. He kissed her thigh, turning his head to rub his frills over her skin, the sensation making his eyes flutter closed. He savored the way she trembled beneath his touch.

"Come here," she said, her voice low and pleading. "Lay behind me."

Planting his palms into the mattress, he pushed himself up from the bed and slid his pants down over his hips, letting them drop to the floor as he stepped out of them. She rolled onto her left side, remaining slightly bent at the waist as she adjusted the pillows under her head, the moonlight streaming in through the curtains making her skin glow. She was beautiful, more beautiful than he thought she realized. As stunning as the goddess who breathed life into her, and she was his.

The taste of her lingering on his tongue begged him to throw caution to the wind and rush to join with her, but he refused to give himself over so completely and risk causing her pain. Climbing back onto the bed, he stretched out behind her, slow and careful, not wanting to jostle her too much. It seemed an odd position to him, but the idea of doing something new with her only added to his excitement. He brushed his lips over the back of her neck before scraping his teeth over the same spot, loving the taste of ocean on her skin and the way she tilted her head, offering more of herself to him.

She reached behind her, rubbing her hand along his waist and hip before bringing her left leg up, knee almost pointing at the ceiling, resting the sole of her foot on her other calf. Sliding his hand along the inside of her thigh, he nipped at her neck again, brushing his fingers over the coarse hair between her legs. Spreading her open, he pressed the pads of his fingers to the bundle of nerves which brought her so much pleasure, savoring the moan it pulled from her as he worked his fingers around in small circles.

He moved a little lower down on the bed, trailing his tongue along her spine and planting kisses on her shoulder blades, hoping he found the right angle. Shifting himself closer, her moist warmth called out to him, guiding him home. He took himself in hand and slid the tip of his erection through her folds, letting out a groan as her heat soaked into him, teasing him. Her body trembled against his chest, and she arched her back, pushing herself against him as he made a minor adjustment to line himself up with her opening.

Starting to ease forward, he moaned as she rippled around him, her body welcoming him inside. He pulled his hand away, bringing it up to grip her hip, reminding himself he must be careful with what little coherence she left him with in the moment. She lowered her leg as he pushed in further, increasing the pressure around him, and he clenched his jaw, fighting the urge to just take her hard and fast. Pulling his hand up, she settled it over her heart, wrapping her arm around his as he started to slowly rock his hips.

She sucked in staggered breaths. "Oh, God."

He stopped moving by sheer force of will alone, sucking in a calming breath, fingers clenching her hip. "Are you in pain, siha?" Dread filled him—though whether from the thought of hurting her or the possibility she may need him to stop, he wasn't sure which. Both, he told himself, it was both.

"No." She moaned, turning her head toward him, squeezing his fingers beneath her hand. "No. God, you feel so good."

He smiled and stretched his other arm out over his head, curling himself around her, pressing his lips to her back and shoulder. "As do you. I've missed you." Rocking his hips, he pushed himself in a little deeper, savoring the hitch in her breath, the tightening of her inner walls. "Missed tasting you, touching you, being inside of you."

She felt … divine. He breathed in her scents, holding the little pieces of her in his lungs. Even with as agonizingly slow as he moved, he worried about hurting her; he knew she'd felt pain with her release, but it didn't seem to be enough to dissuade her. Thank Arashu, because he thought it very well might kill him if he couldn't be with her just then.

She moaned as he moved, her hand sliding away from his, trailing down between her legs. He hummed, feeling her tighten even more around him, driving him closer to the edge. Knowing she worked with him to bring herself to another orgasm, he shifted his hand to cup her breast, squeezing her nipple between his thumb and finger. He moved a little faster, listening for any sign she was in pain, but all he heard was moans of pleasure and his name on her lips, soft as a prayer. He didn't think he'd last much longer himself, but oh, how he first wanted to take back to her place of bliss again.

* * *

Thane found Avalina sitting out on the front porch, looking out over the woods. Turning her head, she glanced at him and smiled as he sat down next to her. When he'd realized the date, he knew exactly where she'd be, where her thoughts would be: with Tarava and the krogan who killed her. The men Avalina called on Thane to help her dispatch, having tracked them from Omega to Garvug.

"Do you ever regret it, Thane?" she asked, voice soft and pensive. "Hunting down Stiv Kay and the others?"

He sat there for a moment, gaze roaming over the trees while he considered his feelings on the matter. Regret … he wasn't entirely certain regret was truly one of them. He told himself he regretted what he did to Stiv Kay and the others, but …. "Can one say they truly regret an act, even while knowing if they had it to do all over again, they would?"

She scoffed, the sound light and airy, little more than a breath being expelled. "I have no need for more of your philosophizing."

"No, I suppose not." He hummed, tracing the grain of the wood on the arm of the chair. "Yes … there are times I regret what I have done. Their lives ended by my choosing. I own the responsibility, and the memories of the things I did to them still haunts me. But as I said …."

"You would do it all over again." The statement only made her sound sadder.

"Indeed." He turned his head to look at her, taking in the slight furrow of her brow and the slump to her shoulders. "Do you continue to struggle with regret, Avalina?"

She sucked in a trembling breath and shook her head. "Only that I didn't stay longer, didn't try harder to convince her to leave." Tears welled up in her eyes, one breaking free to spill down over her cheek, and she wiped it away. "The galaxy is a cruel place. Compared to what they did to my daughter, they were shown mercy." She swallowed and shook her head. "It's not their faces that haunt me, but hers. And, I confess, the unknown faces of those who might've loved those men, who mourn their passing, and who were left without answers. I'm no fool, I know Tarava wasn't … she did things no mother would be proud of. Some might even say she deserved her death," she said, her voice breaking into a sob, " _but she was my daughter_."

His heart ached for Avalina. Tarava was more than just an exotic dancer at Afterlife, she was one of Aria's _pets_. She did Aria's bidding, and Thane understood all too well why some of the things Tarava did under Aria's tutelage earned the attention of the same sorts of people who often hired him. It truly was only a matter of time before someone decided to remove her permanently. Aria, unlike Tarava, however, employed personal guards to keep her safe from mercenary thugs and a reputation leaving very few willing to even send a trained assassin after her. Avalina's regret for the people left behind, after the two of them put an end to the mercenaries who claimed the bounty on her daughter, fueled her 'requirements' for him. In her mind, any one of his contracts might be another Tarava—someone's child who still yet might be saved by someone who loved them.

* * *

"The logs go as far back as the last few years." Theodus leaned back in his chair, clasping his hands over his abdomen. "Krios, they've taken hundreds of people, maybe even more that aren't in these logs. There's reports—studies on various species, and although they are surprisingly well researched, most of them seem to be utterly irrelevant. I can't see why it would matter to the collectors whether female turians are more prone than males to complications after digesting levo based proteins, if the cellular aging rate in humans can be correlated to eye color, or if left-handed salarians live longer than right-handed salarians. How can any of this possibly matter to the collectors, especially enough for them to go through all of _this_ to find out?" He opened his hands, turning his palms out. "Loathe as I am to admit it, I'm stumped. I'm having trouble putting together a report because I don't know what's truly relevant and what isn't."

"I see." Thane looked down at the bed in front of him, already trying to calculate his next move.

"I'll refund your payment and continue to store the data for you until you have another location you wish for it to be sent," said Theodus.

"Keep your payment, Theodus." Thane lifted his gaze back to the other drell and gave him a light shake of his head. "I won't fault you for failing to make sense of the incomprehensible, but please, keep the data for now."

"If you insist." Theodus' lips twitched into a smile, making it perfectly clear he'd expected Thane to refuse the offered refund. "What of the file from the personal laptop? Perhaps there's something in there that will help me to make sense of the rest."

Thane let his gaze drift around the small bedroom, a heavy weight settling in on his shoulders. He sighed, suddenly feeling tired and defeated. "I don't believe there is, but yes, perhaps it is time you take a look."

"Are you well, Krios?" Theodus asked, the compassion in his voice sounding genuine.

Thane took a deep breath and met his gaze again. "I … I find the events surrounding this target quite disturbing."

"From what I've seen," Theodus said, leaning forward to fold his arms on his desk, "I'd be surprised if you didn't."

"Indeed. I'm afraid the things in the Enkindlers' file only make it worse." Thane paused taking only a second to weigh out whether or not he wished to divulge anything further before he said, "She … the target was a relative of someone I know."

He let out a soft chuckle at the exaggerated look of surprise on Theodus' face. He knew the man wasn't shocked by the content of the admission but rather because Thane actually _volunteered_ information about himself. Perhaps Theodus managed to win a few favors with Thane. He'd treated Jasmine with great respect, attempting to protect her dignity despite her giving him permission to share his findings with everyone present back on Ferris Fields. He'd handled her gently when she sought him out for more information on Leon's violations, too. Thane appreciated his actions, found them honorable, even if he never had any reason to suspect Theodus might act harshly towards her.

Thane tilted his head, studying Theodus on his omni-tool's screen. "And you, Theodus? Are you well?"

Theodus smiled, leaning back in his chair again. "I am well, thank you for asking." His smile faltered a little, distaste clear in his eyes. "And how is Avalina?"

Thane laughed. "You still don't care for her much, I see."

"She steals work from me," Theodus said with a shrug, "but I don't wish her ill."

"Avalina is well," Thane said, smirking.

They both knew Avalina's work differed from Theodus'. Their skill sets, though similar in some aspects, were relatively different and brought them both an abundance of clients. However, there were jobs Avalina took on occasion which were better suited to Theodus' skill set, but she was capable of providing her clients with what they required. Theodus always did his best to provide his clients with more than they asked for, and he believed he shouldn't take a job at all if he couldn't provide them with such a high standard. So, in his mind, neither should Avalina.

She … insulted his work ethic. Theodus took great pride in what he did, and with good reason; it's why Thane went to Theodus for assistance more than anyone else. But it offended Theodus for someone to be as skilled as Avalina and yet have so little regard for that level of skill. Theodus equated his work with his livelihood, even his life, but for Avalina, it was little more than a footnote, something she did as required. That being said, Thane knew they both referred clients to one another when a client required something beyond their individual abilities.

* * *

Avalina laughed, shaking her head at Jasmine. "Oh no, Keto was one of the first to leave Rakhana." She glanced at Thane and smirked. "From a time when the drell were still their own people and not hanar on two legs. We're talking about a completely different culture."

Thane chuckled, turning his palm out. "We are still our own people, Avalina. What culture hasn't evolved over time with close contact with other species? Surely the asari know this better than most."

"So, what were drell like back then?" Jasmine asked Avalina even though she smiled at Thane, leaning back to drape her arm over the top of her chair.

Her curiosity was piqued. One of the things she absolutely loved about asari and krogan, they were walking, talking, breathing history books. They lived through so much, watched as the worlds changed around them, witnessed incredible advancements in science and technology, and somehow managed to adapt to it all with grace—well, the asari did it with grace, the krogan not so much. Had humans been involved with galactic society long enough, Avalina might even be able to tell Jasmine things about her own peoples' history she never knew.

"When I first met Keto, I found him … boorish," Avalina said, dragging Jasmine's focus back to her. A soft smile brightened her face as she looked at the glass holding a handful of wildflowers Jasmine brought in earlier in the day. She chuckled. "Which only made him more attractive to me at the time. He was the first drell I'd ever met in person. He couldn't stand the hanar or Kahje. He only stayed there for two years before making his way to the Citadel. Years later, I had the opportunity to spend some time with him on Kahje, visiting his friends and family. They were loud, rowdy, and they seemed to prefer to settle simple squabbles with violence." She grinned. "I loved them immediately."

Jasmine laughed, trying to imagine Thane or any of the other drell she encountered since meeting him behaving the way Avalina described. The image seemed so completely at odds with what she'd come to expect from drell, she struggled to imagine it at all. She smiled when Avalina met her gaze again. "How'd you two meet?"

"I'd been assigned as a guard to one of our Thessian diplomats, the other commandos and I escorted her to the Citadel for a meeting with the Council. She gave us some time off while she attended to other appointments we weren't allowed to accompany her into, so we made our way down to the Wards." Avalina shrugged. "The people living in the Wards were more our style, I suppose you'd say. I found Keto working in one of the bars, clearing tables and bringing drinks to customers. I caught him staring at me a couple of times, and when I did, he'd look away. Hesperia told me if I didn't go talk to him, she would." She smirked. "She and I were always pushing one another. Anyway, I decided why not? You should've seen the grin on his face when I walked over to him." Something sad seemed to tug at the corners of her eyes for just a second before she sighed and asked, "What about you two? How did you meet Thane?"

Thane let out a groan, chuckling when Jasmine looked at him and raised an eyebrow. Dipping his head to her, he said, "Be kind, siha."

Avalina hummed. "This sounds promising."

Jasmine grinned, stretching her leg out to prop her ankle on his knee, and he rested his hand on her shin. She turned her attention back to Avalina. "We were sent after the same target, and he beat me to the guy."

"That's it?" Avalina arched her brow.

Jasmine snickered. "Not exactly, but the rest doesn't really paint either of us in the best light." Normally, she'd jump at the chance to take a dig at him and tell Avalina all about how much of an ass he'd been to her when they first met, but maybe managing to convince him she felt up to the task of spending more intimate time together the last couple of nights left her in a better, more accommodating mood.

Avalina glanced between her and Thane. "Surely you can give me more than such a small piece of what is clearly a more elaborate tale."

Thane brushed his thumb back and forth over Jasmine's leg. "She took my photograph, and I had to insist she delete it."

Jasmine snorted. "And by insist, he means hit me with a Warp and make me fall through the ceiling." Okay, maybe she didn't feel completely accommodating.

"Thane!" Avalina laughed, her entire body shaking with her mirth.

Thane smirked, shaking his head, tightening his grip on Jasmine's leg. "I couldn't risk her escaping with my image."

"We fought over it for a few seconds, but I gave in and deleted the picture." Nevermind the fact Jasmine felt fairly certain it was the only way she would've made it back out of their alive. "My fall wrecked the ceiling tiles, though, so after he bailed I was having trouble getting back out." She turned her attention back to Thane, giving him a soft smile. "A heartbeat away from being captured by the target's goons, he grabbed me and pulled me back through the ceiling."

Avalina's smile widened. "How long ago was this?"

"About a year ago," Jasmine said, shrugging, "but we didn't get together right away."

Avalina raised a brow, leaning forward to fold her arms on the table. "I'd be truly astonished if you did."

Jasmine hummed, knowing the asari was right. Even if Jasmine didn't start things off with less than pleasant feelings toward Thane, there really wasn't any way their relationship would've come about any faster. Even if they weren't both assassins and, as such, prone to not trusting other people, Thane wasn't in any place to think about a relationship when they first met. She smiled, opting to turn the topic back to Avalina and asked, "How long were you and Keto together?"

"Twenty years." Avalina paused, taking in a slow, deep breath before continuing, "We were discussing more children when he went to the sea."

"What happened?" Jasmine asked, keeping her voice soft and unobtrusive. "If you're comfortable sharing."

Avalina gave her a sad smile. "I suppose I am." She cleared her throat a little and shifted in her seat. "We'd gone to the Citadel to visit some friends. It was Tarava's … our daughter's first time there. Keto went to the store one evening and never returned."

She fell silent for a moment, gaze shifting back to the bouquet on the table. Jasmine waited her out, recognizing the look of someone trying their damnedest to put a leash on their emotions. Thane's hand slipped a little further up Jasmine's leg, palm settling on her kneecap, and she reached out, covering his hand with her own.

"When C-Sec found me to tell me of his death, they told me he died heroically." Avalina let out a soft scoff. "As if it really changed anything for me at the moment as I held our sobbing daughter in my arms. Apparently someone—an asari and turian couple—robbed the store while he was inside, and they turned their weapons on a batarian family with a small child, intending to use them as hostages. Keto tried to stop them, and there was a struggle."

She swallowed back a sob, turning it into a strangled cough, then took a second to collect herself. "They shot him and fled, but no one else was hurt." She glanced up, meeting Jasmine's gaze. "It's been so long, over a hundred and seventy years, most asari would've moved on by now, bonded with someone new, but I can't bring myself to." She waved her hand. "Oh, I'm not saying I haven't been with anyone else during this time, I just haven't formed a new bond. I don't suppose I ever will. It doesn't really feel like something I need in my life anymore."

Jasmine understood. She didn't really get the whole point of marriage. Then again, it wasn't exactly like she had the best marital role models growing up. The only truly successful marriage she had any real experience with was Geoffrey and Karen. They were good together, and Jasmine definitely thought they'd spend the rest of their lives together, but they were one in a million. Rone and Kelena seemed pretty happy, but Jasmine really didn't have much to go on with those two. Otherwise, almost every married or bonded couple she'd ever come across weren't happy together and didn't last. Half the time because one or the other cheated, the other half because they just grew apart … or didn't really think through things before getting married in the first place. She'd considered marriage once before, with Leon, but she was stupid and full of all sorts of fantastical ideas back then, and she'd thought of him as the next best thing to God.

Avalina glanced between Jasmine and Thane, the question clear in her eyes, but thank God she didn't give it voice. Marriage _was not_ a conversation she thought either of them were prepared to have yet, and she couldn't imagine Thane would ever really want to marry again, either. They didn't need a wedding to be committed to each other, anyway. She held no doubts Thane was hers and hers alone, and she sure didn't want anyone else. She squeezed his hand and he turned his palm, closing his fingers around hers.

"You're young, but you humans seem to love moving through life fast," Avalina said, drawing Jasmine's attention back to her. "What about you, have you ever been married?"

Jasmine snorted and shook her head. "No, never married. No kids." Her omni-tool vibrated against her wrist, and she tugged her hand free from Thane's to glance at the code.

 _Isaac?_

Sucking in a deep breath, she held it, hope washing through her as she dropped her leg down from Thane's lap and pushed away from the table. She glanced up, catching Thane's gaze, understanding dawning in his eyes as he studied her face and smiled.

"Excuse me," she said, glancing at Avalina. "I've got to take this in private."

She made her way to the bedroom, closing the door behind her and sat down on the bed. Accepting the call, she let out a heavy breath, a near sob of relief to see Isaac's face fill the screen. "Jesus Christ, Bossman. Damn, am I glad to see you."

He grinned at her, a tired look in his eyes. "Where are you, Sunshine?"

"We're on Lusia. Athena Nebula in the Tomaros System." She shifted back a little further on the bed. "Do you want coordinates for my exact location?"

He nodded. "Yeah, send them to me. I'll be there as soon as I can."

Running her fingers over her omni-tool, she pulled up her coordinates and forwarded them to him. "Are you okay? Is Dickhead okay?"

Isaac let out a soft chuckle. "We're both okay. I'll tell him you said hello. I've got to go now, we're still on the move."

"Wait!" She didn't care if her voice came out a screech. She didn't hear anything from for a week, she needed him to give her _something_. "Are you being followed?"

He shook his head and then glanced around as if checking again to make sure no one lurked in the shadows. "I don't think so, but we're not stopping until I know for sure."

"Okay, yeah." Licking her lips, she nodded. "We're not alone here, just so you know. There's an asari here with us, someone Thane trusts to help keep me safe, but we haven't given her any details."

Isaac pursed his lips a little but then bobbed his head in the odd way of his—something she'd grown to love about him. "Good. Thanks for the heads up. I'll see you soon," he said, and then the screen went dark.


	53. A New Lead

**A New Lead**

Avalina came back inside the cabin, features drawn tight. "Someone or something has triggered a proximity alarm. I'm going to check it out."

Jasmine turned in the chair, just about to tell Avalina that she expected Isaac any day when her omni-tool pinged. "Avalina, wait a sec." She opened her omni-tool and recognized Isaac's contact information. She glanced back up at the asari. "Just let me take this real quick, it might be a friend of mine out there."

Avalina's lips pressed tighter, but she nodded. Jasmine stood and cast a glance at Thane who'd stopped in the middle of his exercise routine—much to her dismay—alert and prepared to deal with whatever threat might be nearby. He smiled at her and dipped his head, tucking his hands behind his back. She grinned, the fact he wasn't wearing a shirt didn't even make him look less dignified.

She went into their bedroom and answered the call. "Hey, Bossman."

Isaac's face was barely visible against the darkness of the woods, the soft glow of his omni-tool not doing much to light his face. "Sunshine, would you mind asking your boyfriend to come disarm his traps. I'm tired and it's late, I'd rather not take the risk of getting blown up."

"Stay where you're at. I'll come get you." She grinned, feeling stupid happy and excited to see him.

"Thank you."

She ended the call and left the bedroom, checking her pistol over before reholstering it at her back. Glancing up she met first Thane's gaze then Avalina's. "It's Malcolm," she said, defaulting to Isaac's last known alias in his absence. "I need to go get him."

"Give me a moment to get dressed," Thane said.

"I'll go with her." Avalina waved a hand at Thane. "I want to make sure the alarm resets itself properly, anyway. It was on the edge of the perimeter, though. The woods are too dense, we won't be able to fly the entire way." She turned back to Jasmine. "It's dark, and you'll be walking on uneven ground, are you certain you feel up to it? I can escort your friend back alone."

"Ah, that's not such a good idea." Jasmine's eyebrows lifted, lips pursing. "He knows someone else is here with us, but if you show up without me …." Trailing off, she gave the asari a slow shake of her head.

Avalina tilted her head to the side. "Of course."

"Siha, are you sure you wouldn't rather Avalina and I go?" Thane asked, moving over to her, hand settling on the small of her back. "Malcolm knows me, and he knows you are injured. Perhaps my presence will be sufficient to ease his concerns."

Of course, she could just call Isaac and tell him that she planned to send Thane and Avalina, but she really did want to go get him herself. "Stop worrying. Both of you. I'll be fine."

Thane dipped his head, pulling his hand away to tuck behind him. "Very well."

Avalina snickered and turned back to the door, and Jasmine followed her out onto the porch, closing the door behind them. Taking a second to let her eyes adjust to the darkness, Jasmine scanned the yard before making her way down the stairs. Despite being able to handle them without too much issue, Avalina stayed close to Jasmine, her hand hovering just behind Jasmine's back.

Jasmine opened her mouth, about to make a 'mom' joke, but snapped her mouth closed on it before it could slip out, realizing how calloused it would sound considering what she'd learned of the asari. Avalina followed her over to the passenger side of the skycar, unlocking it and opening the door for Jasmine. She watched as Jasmine settled into the seat before closing the door again.

"How do you want to be introduced?" Jasmine asked as soon as Avalina had the skycar in the air and headed to Isaac's location.

"Avalina is fine. I don't bother with aliases." She glanced at Jasmine, a smug smirk lifting the corner of her lips. "If I need one, I'm not doing my job right."

Jasmine snorted, crossing her arms over her chest. "You do realize both Thane and I use aliases, right?"

Avalina glanced at her again and smiled, the softer, motherly touch to her face. "I do, but we are not in the same profession, my dear."

"Fair enough." Jasmine shrugged, turning her attention back out at the black sky, only the faintest hint of glowing lights from the city out on the horizon.

They were only in the skycar for a couple of minutes when Avalina settled it down in a clearing. "This is as close as we can get in the skycar, but it's only a few more minutes on foot from here."

She turned off the vehicle and got out, moving around to Jasmine's side by the time she'd gotten the door opened. Avalina held a hand out to her, and she slid her hand into the asari's palm, letting her help heave Jasmine out of the skycar. Avalina drew her pistol before reaching into a pouch on her belt, a moment later, the bright beam of a flashlight broke through the darkness.

Closing the door, Avalina glanced at Jasmine. "You might wish to have your weapon ready in case there are any _niathik_ around. I hope your friend is armed."

"Definitely armed, and biotic," Jasmine said, opening her omni-tool.

"Good." Avalina grinned, the whites of her teeth standing out in the darkness. "Follow behind me as closely as you can, don't veer off or you might trigger a trap."

"Fantastic." Jasmine sucked on her teeth, activated a flashlight app on her omni-tool, and drew her pistol. "Alright, let's go."

Avalina went slow, glancing back over her shoulder frequently as she led Jasmine through the near pitch-black woods. Jasmine kept her focus on the ground in front of her, doing her best to follow in Avalina's footsteps and watch for obstacles. The last thing she needed was to take a tumble out there, traps or no traps, but it meant trusting in Avalina completely to not only remember where the traps actually were but to be watchful for _niathik_ and anything else which might be prowling the woods. Admittedly, that level of trust was hard to come by for her, and she didn't know Avalina very well, but it was either trust or fall on her ass.

Avalina stopped after a few minutes, holding a hand out to Jasmine while she scanned the trees with her flashlight until her beam landed on a _niathik_. The _niathik_ pulled back its flews, baring its teeth with a snarl. The elongated scales along its spine lifted away from its body, making it appear larger and more threatening. Avalina flared, pulling her biotics around her before tossing them out at the creature in a Singularity. The blue and white, swirling orb of dark energy pulled the _niathik_ into orbit, but still, the beast growled, struggling to free itself.

Avalina started walking again, waving Jasmine on. "Come, others will be nearby."

They walked for another couple of minutes, listening to the howls of _niathik_ coming from far closer than Jasmine liked. Her side ached a little, but it stayed at a tolerable level. Still, she felt relieved when Avalina announced they'd reached the proximity alarm.

"Bossman?" Jasmine called out, just loud enough for her voice to carry beyond her personal space but not so loud it'd pull in the attention of any other _niathik_ —she hoped.

"I'm here, Sunshine."

She turned to the sound of his voice, raising her omni-tool to shine the light out in search of him. The beam caught him, leaning against a rock four meters away. Seeing him there, _alive_ and in the flesh, she flashed back to her childhood, before her life went to shit—coming back from family vacation one summer when she was nine, the breathless thrill of seeing her best friend, Jamie, for the first time in weeks. A silly grin crossed her face, and she had to fight the urge to run right over and throw her arms around him.

He winced, holding his hand up in front of his face, and she lowered the light back to the ground in front of him. She bit the edge of her lip, forcing her face back into something at least resembling a grown ass woman and professionalism. Glancing back over her shoulder, she saw Avalina squatted down, messing with a device on the ground.

"Is the path to him clear?" Jasmine asked.

Avalina glanced up and looked over to where Isaac stood, gathering his bags. "Yes."

Jasmine made her way over, carefully picking her way across the uneven terrain. When she reached him, he held his arms out to her, and she stepped into his embrace. He rested his chin on top of her head for a moment before letting her go again, holding her at arm's length to look over her in the dark.

"You trust her?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Jasmine lifted her shoulder, more of a twitch than a shrug. "Yeah."

"What does she know?"

"My first name, but not yours. She assumed my occupation through my association with Thane, but I haven't directly confirmed it for her …" She tilted her head in concession. "… or denied it. She knows people might've followed us here, but not who or why."

He nodded. "And what do you know?"

The question brought a smile to her face. "Her name's Avalina, last name unknown. She's an ex-commando. Really powerful biotic. Thane mentioned she uses an assault rifle, but I've only seen her with a pistol. He thinks she can help us, one of her specialties was hacking into military grade systems. He mentioned to her that I might need a favor from her, but he didn't say what and neither did I. She's agreed to help, though, if I ask her to, on the principle of the friendship she shares with Thane." She hesitated but then said, "And a few personal details."

Isaac bobbed his head, leaving it at that. "Good, what name did you give her for me?"

"Malcolm." She shifted her weight more to her right side when the dull ache in her abdomen started to throb a little. "Oh, and I mentioned you're armed and a biotic."

He chuckled, using his grip on her arms to turn her back toward Avalina. "Why?"

"Because there's _niathik_ in these woods," she said, shining her omni-tool's light at the ground in front of her as she walked, "and she expressed a concern for your safety."

"The lizard-wolf things?"

She nodded, stepping over a fallen branch. "Yeah."

"Yeah, saw a few pass by after I called you."

"They didn't attack you?" She glanced over her shoulder despite not being able to make out more than his silhouette.

"I said I saw them, not they saw me," he said, his cocky tone bringing a smile to her face. "I know how to be still and quiet, and I stayed upwind."

Avalina stood from examining her proximity alarm as they approached, and Jasmine had a feeling she didn't need so much time to do whatever to the device but meant to give Jasmine her space with Isaac without being rushed.

"Avalina, this is my friend, Malcolm," Jasmine said, waving her hand at Isaac.

Isaac held his hand out to her. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"The pleasure is mine." Avalina tilted her head to the side and shook Isaac's hand. "I apologize, but the woods are too dense for me to bring the skycar any closer. We'll have to walk a ways. Might I help you with your bags."

"Oh, no, thank you. I've got them."

* * *

She saw Thane standing from one of the chairs on the porch as Avalina lowered the skycar. He started to come down into the yard when she opened her door, but she waved him off. So, he stopped at the top of the stairs, tucking his hands behind his back. Although he'd put on his linen shirt, he'd remained barefoot. There wasn't any point in him risking stepping on a sharp rock or stick without shoes on when she was perfectly capable of getting out of the skycar on her own. And even if she wasn't, between Avalina and Isaac, she had more help than she might need by far.

Isaac climbed out of the back before she'd gotten her legs over the side and bent down to help her. She snorted, but let him slide his arms around her and help her up, it did seem a lot harder getting up than getting down. Once he had her on her feet, he grabbed his bags out of the back and slung them over his shoulder before settling his hand on her lower back. She thought about telling him she was fine, but she'd been so worried about him the last few days, feeling his hand there actually left her more relaxed.

Leaning down a little closer to her, he said, "I forgot how serious he always looks. Does he make that face in bed?"

Jasmine laughed, reaching out to slap the back of her hand against his stomach, but even with as tired as he seemed, his fingers closed around her wrist, stopping her before she made contact. She tugged her arm free, glancing up at him. "Don't act like you're not jealous I got him first."

Chuckling, he put a little pressure on her back, urging her away from the skycar. He closed the door and moved up beside her, guiding her through the yard to the stairs. Avalina moved up past them, her hand brushing over Thane's shoulder as she walked by and went inside. Jasmine made her way up the steps, Isaac's hand slipped away from her back. At the top, she turned, standing next to Thane.

Isaac lingered, one foot on the first step, the other on the second. He held out his hand. "Thane."

"Malcolm." Thane dipped his head, shaking Isaac's hand. "Please, come inside."

"Thanks." Isaac made his way the rest of the way up the stairs.

 _Pfft._

Thane's hand took the place of Isaac's as he turned her toward the door, and they followed Isaac inside. He closed and locked the door behind them before telling Isaac. "Please, make yourself comfortable. Are you hungry? Can I get you something to eat or drink?"

"A glass of water would be fantastic, thanks." Isaac turned to glance over the cabin before moving to the couch, dropping his bags by his feet.

Thane glanced at Avalina, tilting his head toward the kitchen area, and she stood from her chair, following after him. Jasmine moved to sit next to Isaac, angling her body toward him so she could give him a once over in the light. He looked exhausted, but no real worse for the wear. She didn't see any sign of injuries, though, just a sag to his shoulders and a dimness to his eyes. His face looked scruffier than she'd ever seen it, so she didn't think he'd bothered with shaving for at least two or three days. His clothes appeared a little rumpled, but not too bad. Hell, he still looked like he'd just walked off an advertisement kiosk promoting the sale of men's fashion and accessories. At least he didn't show up wearing a flashy, three-piece suit.

He smirked, reaching over to pat her knee. "I'm fine, Sunshine. Tired, but fine." Pulling his hand away, he leaned back into the corner of the couch, draping his arm over the back.

Thane's soft, low voice carried to her from the kitchen, stopping her response. "With Malcolm here, I believe Jasmine will be safe enough you may return to your home if you wish. Though, as always, you are welcome to stay."

She glanced over her shoulder at Thane and Avalina, watching as Thane poured a glass of water from the pitcher he kept in the refrigerator.

Avalina shook her head, leaning her hip against the counter. "I believe it would be quite crowded, unless the young man wishes to share my bed." She glanced over at Isaac, a smirk on her face. "He is rather handsome."

Jasmine snorted, glancing back at Isaac in time to catch the grin on his face and the soft, almost awkward chuckle. She smirked, turning her attention back to Avalina, curious to see how the rest of it would play out.

Thane chuckled, putting the pitcher back into the refrigerator. "I don't believe he'd be interested."

"Pity." Avalina raised her brow, gaze shifting to Jasmine. "Only humans?"

Jasmine shook her head and said, "Only men."

"I see." Avalina let out an exaggerated, pitiful sigh and shook her head, turning her attention back to Thane. "Well then, I'll gather my things. Call me if you need anything."

"I will." He reached out, settling his hand on her arm. "Thank you, Avalina."

She smiled, leaning over to kiss his cheek. "Of course, Thane. Your Jasmine is quite lovely; it's been a pleasure getting to know her."

He glanced at Jasmine and smiled. "Indeed, she is."

Avalina gave him a soft chuckle and turned, heading for the guest bedroom.

Thane made his way back to the living room area and handed the glass to Isaac before taking a seat in the chair. "I trust you'll find the guest bedroom acceptable?"

Isaac nodded, letting out a heavy, weary-sounding breath. "It's appreciated. I haven't slept much lately."

"It'll be weird not having her here." Jasmine pursed her lips, suddenly feeling a little sad.

Thane smiled and waved a hand. "She doesn't live far from here. If Malcolm intends to have you stay for awhile, I'm sure you'll be able to see her again."

Isaac bobbed his head when she glanced at him. "For a few days, at least." He turned his attention to Thane. "If you're sure you're okay with us sticking around?"

"Of course," Thane said, blinking as if the question genuinely surprised him, "stay for as long as you'd like."

A moment later, Avalina came out of the room with her bags draped over her shoulder. She moved to the where they sat and smiled down at Jasmine. "I told Thane to call me if he needs me, but I'd like to extend the same offer to you." She smiled, opening her arms to Jasmine when she stood.

Jasmine stepped into her embrace. "Thanks, Avalina. I really appreciate your being here."

"It's been my pleasure." Avalina pressed a hand to Jasmine's cheek. "Perhaps you will call me sometime, even if you don't need anything?"

Smiling, Jasmine nodded. "Sure, I can do that."

Avalina leaned down to kiss Jasmine on the cheek, and before she could pull away, Jasmine turned her face to return the gesture. It brought a soft smile to Avalina's face. "Stay safe."

"Maybe. We'll see." Jasmine flashed her mischievous grin. "I've been pretty bored lately."

Thane chuckled, reaching his hand out to Jasmine. She stepped away from Avalina, slipping her hand into his, and he tugged her down to his lap. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he kissed her when she leaned in, bringing her lips to his. Snuggling in against his chest, she settled her head on his shoulder and watched as Isaac stood to shake Avalina's hand.

"Thanks for helping to keep an eye on her." Isaac grinned, glancing at Jasmine to wink. "I hope she wasn't too much trouble."

Avalina chuckled, turning a little to smile at her, too. "Not at all." She dropped Isaac's hand, turning for the door.

"Bye, Avalina," Jasmine said.

Avalina glanced over her shoulder, waving. "Rest well, everyone." She left, locking the door again behind her.

Jasmine turned her attention back to Isaac, an odd, satisfied smile on his face as he watched her and Thane. Fighting back a yawn, she asked, "So, what's the word?"

He took in a deep breath and shook his head. "I'll fill you in tomorrow, Sunshine. I need to recharge."

She nodded and then eased herself up, Thane bracing her as she got her feet under her. "Let me show you where everything is."

Isaac stood, gathering his things and smirked at Jasmine. "I'm glad to see you're moving around better."

She snorted, leading Isaac off toward the guest bedroom. "You're not the only one."

* * *

Thane turned the covers back when Jasmine returned to the room, freshly showered and smelling of grapefruit and papaya. She crawled onto the bed next to him, warmth pouring off of her and soaking into his side as she pulled the covers back over herself, easing in against him. He hummed, lifting his arm for her to settle her head into the crook of his arm and press her face against his chest the way she loved to do. The way he loved. She let out a soft, content sigh, and he wrapped his arm around her back, settling his hand on her bare shoulder.

"I'm so glad he's okay," she whispered.

He rubbed his palm up and down the length of her arm as far as he could reach, smooth skin warm and tempting beneath his hand. "I know, siha."

She poked her finger into his side, making his muscles twitch at the playful gesture. "You could pretend to be happy he's okay."

Thane chuckled. "I am." He rubbed her arm again. "I'm pleased for you, both of you." And he was. In the little time passed since Isaac's arrival, he'd watched the stress melt off of her almost completely. "I may not know Isaac well, but it is quite clear he is important to you and you to him, and he seems like a good man."

"He is a good man," she said, snuggling in closer to him. "And so are you. I'm really glad you two were able to put your past aside and make nice."

"Indeed." He let his arm fall from her as she shifted, pushing up on her elbow with a soft grunt. He met her gaze, the moonlight catching in her eyes, and smiled.

Shifting around a little more, she leaned over him, brushing her soft mouth over his. Her lips parted, and he opened his mouth to her, meeting her tongue as it slipped inside. Bringing his hand up, he slid his hand through her damp hair, fingers wrapping around the base of her skull and pulled her in closer. She put her hand under his shirt, palm pressing against his abdomen before shifting to his hip, tucking her fingers under him and tugging. He rolled to his side, wedging his elbow beneath him to give him leverage as she eased back, laying flat on the bed, tongue still dancing over his. Fingers skating over his frills, she nipped at his lip, making her intentions clear.

He pulled back enough to whisper against her lips, "He might hear us."

"I don't care," she whispered back, tugging his lip between her teeth. "I'm glad he's here, but if he's here, it means I'll have to leave again soon, and I don't know if he'll want you to come with us."

The unpleasant thought already occurred to Thane, but he hoped Isaac might agree to allow him to stay with her, at least while she continued to heal. If, however, her handler insisted on taking her away without Thane, then he wanted to take as much out of every minute he had with her as possible. He closed his mouth back over hers, tongue tasting of mint, and slid a hand under her shirt to cup her breast. Humming her approval, she arched her back a little, pushing up into his hand. The rest of the galaxy slipped into the shadows of his mind, all worries about the collectors and Cerberus evaporating, as he focused his attention on the woman beneath him and how best to make her call out his name, voice breathless and heady.

* * *

Quite possibly for the first time since she met him, Jasmine woke up before Isaac. If he didn't set an alarm and didn't tell her that he wanted up at a specific time, then she had zero intention of waking him. She put on _aramethe_ , a Lusian drink similar enough to coffee—at least with its energizing effects—Jasmine didn't mind so much not having the real thing around. She smiled at Thane when he started breakfast. They weren't up for very long, though, before Isaac's door opened.

Jasmine glanced over her shoulder and smiled. "Morning."

"Hey, Sunshine." He smiled at her before nodding at Thane and disappearing into the bathroom, bag slung over his shoulder.

By the time he returned, freshly showered and shaved, breakfast was ready and waiting. She filled his mug with _aramethe_ , holding it out to him as he made his way to the table. He chuckled, taking it from her and patting her on the shoulder before sitting down. She watched him scarf down the _shel'min_ eggs and the slices of fried meat, from the bird itself, before he even glanced her way again. She picked at her own plate, starting with the _caltaupe_ , a favorite of hers from Lusia, the taste reminiscent of pineapples but with the graininess of a pear.

"I spoke with Theodus," Isaac said, bringing his coffee cup to his mouth. "He's located a potential contact, a turian, who knows things about Cerberus."

"He didn't say anything to me about it," Jasmine said, shifting forward to rest her elbows on the table and arching an eyebrow.

Swallowing a drink, he hummed and sat the cup back down. "Good. Maybe I can learn to actually trust him, then."

She snorted, crossing her arms over her chest. "What happened to us working this thing together?"

"I didn't tell him he _couldn't_ tell you." He shrugged, taking another drink.

Thane reached over, settling his hand on her knee. "Theodus wouldn't have shared any information Isaac requested of him without specifically being asked to when they made the agreement, siha."

"When we leave here, we'll be heading to Earth to track her down and see if we can get her to talk." Isaac looked back down at his plate, starting in on his _caltaupe_.

"Earth?" She raised an eyebrow despite the fact his attention left her.

Isaac only nodded, apparently not wanting to dive into the details just yet, and said, "Thane, Jasmine tells me you think your asari friend may be of use." He glanced up, bringing his fork up to his mouth. "What can you tell me about her?"

Thane propped his elbows on the table at either side of his plate and clasped his hands. "She is a former commando with a specialty of hacking into military grade servers. I am certain she can safely look into either Cerberus, the Alliance, or both further for you if you still require."

Isaac arched an eyebrow. "You know for a fact she can get into the Alliance's servers?"

Thane blinked, watching Isaac for a moment, tension filling the air. "I am."

A ball of ice formed in the pit of Jasmine's stomach. It wasn't something they'd talked about before, but it suddenly occurred to her that she really had no reason to believe Thane never accepted contracts on members of the Alliance in the past. The thought unsettled her. Even with her current feelings and fears about the Alliance, they were _her_ people. It didn't change the way she felt about Thane, of course, but she knew if she'd come to the realization early on, back when they first met, they very well might've had a _very_ different kind of relationship.

Isaac sucked in a deep breath, pursing his lips and bobbing his head. He looked down at his plate, pushing the fruit around for a second before finally saying, "Alright." His gaze flicked to Jasmine. "What do you think, Sunshine?"

She leaned back in her chair, pulling her mug with her to hold against her chest, letting the warmth from the _aramethe_ thaw her insides. Sucking in a deep breath, she glanced at Thane, finding him resting his forehead against his knuckles, staring down at his plate. Turning her attention back to Isaac, she nodded. "If Thane says she can do it, I don't have any reason to doubt him. I haven't had much time to get to know her, but I believe she's a good person." She shrugged her good shoulder. "But being a good person doesn't necessarily mean we want to ask her to go digging through Alliance secrets."

Isaac looked at her, a smile tugging at the corner of his lip. "What's your gut say?"

"My gut says we can trust her." She took a sip of her _aramethe_.

"Then we trust her, we don't have a whole lot of options with this thing." Isaac put a piece of fruit in his mouth, holding her gaze as he chewed and swallowed. "I sure as hell hope you're right."

She glanced at Thane again, reaching over to squeeze his knee. "So do I."

Thane looked up, turning his head to meet her gaze, face carefully neutral. "I suppose I owe you an apology."

"No." She shook her head. "Whatever jobs you took before we met …. It's already done." It wasn't so simple, though, but she didn't feel like she could handle discussing it further just then. If Isaac didn't make demands for details, then neither would she, not yet, at least.

Thane reached down, taking her hand from his knee and folded her fingers in his, bringing her hand to his lips. "Nevertheless, I _am_ sorry, siha. I should've spoken to you about this before now, but I assure you—" He glanced at Isaac. "—both of you, I have only taken a handful of contracts related to the Alliance, and I sought no information which didn't pertain directly to locating and eliminating my target."

"Thank you." Isaac picked up his cup.

Thane dipped his head. "Indeed."

Squeezing his hand, Jasmine didn't say anything. She didn't know _what_ to say, and she couldn't get a solid read on how Isaac was really dealing with it all.

"Well, why don't you give your friend a call … Avalina, right?" Isaac lifted an eyebrow, and Thane nodded. "Ask her if she's willing to come meet with me."

Thane let go of her hand, clasping his own together once again. "What will you have me tell her about you, should she ask?"

"Don't tell her anything." Jasmine leaned forward, putting her cup back on the table, she looked at Isaac. "She's already told me she would help if I asked, so … let me take the lead with her."

Isaac smirked, bringing his cup to his mouth. "Alright. You take the lead."

"Good, thank you." She nodded, and with things feeling settled, she turned her attention back to her plate. "I'll give her a call after breakfast."

* * *

"I am pleased you decided to come to me." Avalina sat in the chair, turning toward Jasmine, and crossed her long legs. "How can I be of service?"

Jasmine licked her lips. She'd spent all of the rest of breakfast and the time it took for Avalina to come over rehearsing her approach, but with Isaac and Thane both there, she still felt a little nervous. "Have you ever heard of Cerberus?"

Avalina's face grew deathly still, making Jasmine's insides knot up a little. "I have."

Sucking in a slow, deep breath, Jasmine trudged onward. "I'm looking for evidence of a connection between the Alliance and Cerberus. I have reason to believe the Alliance has been working with Cerberus on something they're calling Project Evolution. I need your help finding proof." She'd never told Avalina that she worked for the Alliance and figured it wasn't the best time to broach the subject—if ever—while asking the woman to hack into the powerhouse that was humanity's military and incidentally Jasmine's employer. It'd surely draw a lot of uncomfortable questions.

"I see." Avalina gestured at Jasmine's left side. "Was it the Alliance or Cerberus who injured you?"

"Neither," Jasmine said, shaking her head, "but the people we thought might follow us here are Cerberus. I had someone else looking into the matter, and he underestimated Cerberus." She only hesitated a second, it wouldn't reveal anything about Dickhead Raúl or where he was—hell, she didn't even know _where_ he was—for her to make sure Avalina understood the dangers. "An assassin showed up at his home. Malcolm helped him relocate, he's gone to ground for now, and Thane brought me here until we could regroup."

Avalina's gaze slid to Isaac before returning to Jasmine, probably trying to figure out exactly what his relationship was to Jasmine. "What would you have me do?"

"It'll come with risks, so nothing unless you're absolutely sure you can avoid detection." Jasmine took a deep breath, letting her statement sit for a few seconds. She couldn't believe what she was about to say. She licked her lips, letting her breath seep back out of her. "I'd like you to hack into the Alliance's systems—Cerberus, too—search for something definitive connecting the two. I can provide you with information on what we've already found, and you can go from there."

Avalina studied Jasmine in silence for a moment before asking, "And what will you do with this proof, if it's found?"

Jasmine fought the urge to look at Isaac for guidance and shook her head. "I don't know yet. I just need to find it, need to know if it's true."

"You're prepared to pay for this?" Avalina shifted forward, uncrossing her legs and resting her elbows on her knees. "I will gladly do this for you for less than I would others, but I can't ask less than a hundred thousand credits."

Jasmine forced her face to stay still. Jesus fuck, a hundred thousand credits? She was seriously in the wrong profession.

"It's not an issue," Isaac said, voice soft but sure.

Avalina glanced at him again, tilting her head to the side in a nod. "Then I will get started once I return home." She stood, and Jasmine followed her up. "The contact information I provided you with will automatically encrypt anything you send to me, but you are welcome to add any additional security you wish." She opened her omni-tool, fingers running over the keys, and glanced at Isaac. "You can send the payment here. Half up front and half when I've finished." Avalina hesitated, fingers still over the keys as she turned her attention back to Jasmine. "There is one more matter. Should someone come looking for me, if I must kill them, I will, but I would require something else from you. I believe Thane has discussed this with you already?"

Jasmine sucked on her teeth, she'd hoped it wouldn't come up. "I'm not in a position to pick and choose my jobs … I don't really have a say in the matter." She didn't know what else she could offer to Avalina, what other promises she might make, but she simply couldn't refuse an assignment given to her without a damn good reason to give the Phantoms, even with her handler in on the whole thing.

"I see." Her gaze slid to Isaac again before returning to Jasmine, lips parted as if she were about to say something more.

Thane cleared his throat. "I, however, am. I will accept the cost of those lives, Avalina."

She turned and looked down at him, raising a brow. "As you wish." Finishing with her omni-tool, she turned her attention back to Jasmine and closed the screen.

Jasmine's omni-tool pinged, and she opened it, forwarding the information to Isaac but said, "I'll send the initial payment now." It'd hit her reserves hard, damn near break the bank, but she got them all into the mess, the least she could do was pull her own weight. Thankfully, no one questioned her, and she transferred fifty thousand credits to Avalina's account.

 _Damn, I hope this is worth it._


	54. Pretty Perfect

**Pretty Perfect**

"I'd feel better about it if we do this one alone, Jasmine." Isaac leaned back against the counter, resting the toe of his shoe against the floor as he crossed one ankle over the other. "I'm sorry, but we're not just seeking out this new contact on Earth."

Disappointment flooded her, feeling like someone dropped a lead weight in her stomach. She'd really thought with Isaac knowing about Thane and everything that happened since, he wouldn't have a problem with Thane going with them. "What do you mean?" She raised her eyebrows. "Do we have a job there, too?"

"Maybe, but Langston wants me to bring you in for a physical." He took a deep breath. "She wants proof the injuries you sustained on the last job haven't left you unfit for duty." He shook his head and looked down at the floor between them. "I can't tell her no, Sunshine. I'm sorry."

 _Fan-fucking-tastic._

Jasmine snorted, pinching the bridge of her nose. "She's trying to bench me, isn't she?"

She wondered if Leon would ever stop finding new ways to fuck her from beyond the grave. Why did it even matter? With all the shit they were learning about the Alliance mixing with Cerberus … and she'd already decided to finish her contract and resign when they had her locked up, anyway, so why did she really care if they did bench her? Sighing, she dropped her hand and looked up at her answer standing right in front of her, taking in the sympathetic look on the man's face.

"I don't know … maybe." He pushed off the counter, moving closer to her and putting a hand on her shoulder. "But you're not in this alone, alright? She's not going to be able to take you off the roster for medical without at least two doctors saying you're unfit, and as your handler, my word will carry weight. If not with her, then her superiors."

"Sonofabitch." She clenched her jaw, rubbing her hand over her head, tearing strands of hair loose from her ponytail. Dropping her hand to slap against her thigh, she looked up and met Isaac's gaze. "I haven't even fully healed yet. How am I supposed to prove I'm still physically capable of performing my job duties?"

"I know, and the doctors will know it, too. It'll be taken into consideration, and they'll make their judgements based on the severity of the injuries sustained and your recovery progress to date. You've kept up with your exercises, yeah?" He lifted an eyebrow, waiting for her to nod before continuing, "I've been watching you move around the last couple of days, you're making good progress. The doctors aren't going to give Langston an easy out if that's what she's after."

She snorted and rolled her eyes. "Unless she's told them to say I'm unfit."

He shook his head, removing his hand from her shoulder. "Nah, it's not like that. She doesn't have sway with the doctors we use."

"No?" Voice drenched in skepticism, she arched an eyebrow.

He shook his head again and smiled, ducking down to meet her gaze head on. "No."

She sucked in a deep breath and let it out with a heavy sigh. "When do I have to be there?"

"Three days. We'll leave in two, go do this thing with Langston, and then we'll be heading to British Columbia. Our target is located somewhere in the vicinity of Penticton." He waved his hand, stepping back to lean against the counter again. "Theodus wasn't able to get me a more exact location, so we'll have to do some digging around."

* * *

"Well, I have to say you were right." Theodus raised his brow ridges and shook his head, leaning back in his chair to fold his hands over his abdomen. "I've been over the Enkindler's file three times, and I'm afraid it's only created more questions." Sucking in a deep breath, he turned his palms out. "I think it's safe to say that obviously whatever they did to her altered her personality and behavior, but I have no clue what the orb was or how they managed to do such a thing to her. Or why." He tapped his fingers on the back of his hand. "I trust you realize the turian in the photographs is Spectre Saren Arterius?"

"Indeed," Thane said, nodding his head. It was an … unfortunate truth, and one which caused him great concern. Naturally the presence of a Spectre in the midst of such terrors made him question whether the Council was somehow also involved.

"The asari in the video are Matriarch Benezia T'Soni and her acolyte, Shiala Monias." Theodus shifted forward, resting his arms on the desk again. "I've cross-referenced images of the synthetic, and I believe it was a geth."

"Yes, I've seen images of them before as well." Thane glanced over at Jasmine, taking in the way her skin seemed to glow in the sunlight coming in through the window as she sat reading from a datapad. Despite the distressing nature of the conversation, seeing her there brought him peace. He turned his attention back to Theodus. "I was unaware of the names of the asari, thank you. Perhaps it will be of some use."

Theodus shook his head and shrugged. "I'm sorry I don't have more to give you."

"Not at all." Thane offered him a smile, hoping to assure the other drell that he was disappointed in the lack of information _to_ find and not Theodus' work. "This is a complicated matter, and I appreciate the time you have put into this for me."

"Of course." Theodus grinned. "So, how are you? How is Jasmine?"

Chuckling, Thane dipped his head. He realized he'd grown to look forward to the moments when their conversation shifted away from business, as they inevitably did. For years he'd worked with the man and always shut him down whenever he tried to make things even a little personal. It was just another sign of the way Jasmine had improved Thane's life. "We are both well. And you?"

"I'm … I'm good." Theodus hummed, turning his chair a little, gaze shifting away from Thane. "Business is good, and I have my health."

Jasmine set the datapad down and stood up. "Mmm. Then why does it sound like you're actually not good at all?" She crossed the floor to crawl up onto the bed next to Thane and curled in against his side.

Wrapping his arm around her, he smiled and leaned in to kiss her before turning his attention back to his omni-tool. It brought him great joy to have her there next to him while he spoke with Theodus. It felt like a declaration of their love to the rest of the galaxy … as much as either of them could afford in their profession. He wished she could stay by his side always.

Theodus flashed his teeth at Jasmine in a smile. "Why hello, beautiful woman. I wasn't aware you were in the room. I'm disappointed you're only now announcing yourself."

She snorted softly but grinned. "You two were discussing business, I didn't want to interrupt. Now, are you going to tell us how you're _really_ doing or not?"

Theodus laughed, turning his attention to Thane. "She's very intuitive, isn't she?"

"Indeed." Thane smiled, rubbing his hand along her arm. He adored the way Jasmine always seemed able to pull people out of themselves; her soul shone so brightly, who could help but look when she called to them? "I've yet to see her intuition let her down."

Theodus glanced down at his hands for a moment before returning his gaze to Jasmine. "Alright. I'll tell you what's bothering me, but first, you must tell me something about yourself."

She arched an eyebrow. "Anything in particular you're fishing for?"

"Hmmm." He tapped his fingers on the desk, seeming to take his time to really make his inquiry count. "What's your full name?"

Pulling her head back as if in shock, she tilted it to the side and held up a hand. "Whoa, that's a pretty big question, Theodus."

Grinning, he asked, "Don't you trust me?"

"About as far as I can throw you," she said with a snort.

"You wound me." He splayed his hand out over his chest. "I give you my word, I will never give your name to another soul."

She looked at Thane, and he dipped his head. He believed Theodus would hold her name in confidence, should she choose to share it with him. Theodus was honorable and kept the privacy of all his clients, it was a point of pride as much as a matter of good business for him. Thane's refusal to engage in non-work related conversations with Theodus wasn't due to lack of trust but rather his own training and personal reserve. He'd allowed Theodus to learn his full name, though, even if he'd still insisted on only being called Krios. Perhaps it was time to let that one go as well.

Pursing her lips, she turned back to the screen. "Jasmine Isabell Shepard."

 _Isabell … that's lovely._

Theodus grinned, spinning his chair back and forth a few times. "Jasmine Isabell Shepard. A beautiful name for a beautiful woman."

"Yeah, yeah." She scoffed and waved her hand, but Thane thought the flattery pleased her. "Your turn. What's up?"

Sucking in a deep breath, Theodus let it out in a rush and said, "I lost eight hundred thousand credits on a bad investment."

"Jesus fuck." She hissed through her teeth. "Ouch."

"That is unfortunate," Thane said, rubbing his hand up and down her arm. "But If I am not mistaken, you already have a plan to recoup your losses."

Theodus grinned. "Always."

* * *

"I wish you could come with me." Jasmine eased herself down onto Thane's lap, straddling him as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"As do I, siha." Thane settled his hands on her hips, slipping his thumbs beneath the hem of her shirt and brushing them across her silken skin, savoring her warmth.

Leaning in, she kissed him, strawberry scented lip gloss coating his lips. "What will you do after I leave?"

"I thought I might reach out to one of my contacts." He hummed, sliding his hand a little further up on her waist, kneading gently as he brushed his thumb over her fresh scar. "I was offered a contract a few days ago, if they are still in need of my services, then I will accept."

Furrowing her brow, she tilted her head a little to the side. "You didn't tell me that you turned down a contract."

"I didn't think it was relevant," he said, lifting a brow ridge. He'd given Isaac his word that he would look after Jasmine, keep her safe while she healed until her handler could return to her. Not that he wouldn't have happily done so regardless, but of course he wouldn't take on a contract while caring for her.

"You turned down work to look after me?" She frowned and leaned forward, resting her forehead against his. "Shit, I'm sorry."

Thane chuckled, bringing one of his hands up to cup her face. "Jasmine, there's nothing for you to apologize for. I'm delighted to have had the chance to spend this time with you."

Threading her fingers through his crest, she pulled back enough to meet his gaze and grinned. "You're too good to me."

"That simply isn't possible," he said before turning to the sound of approach.

"You two are so adorable." Isaac leaned over the back of the couch to Thane's right, elbows pressed into the top of the cushion, fingers laced together.

Snorting, Jasmine turned to look at him. "Hey, Bossman."

"Hey, Sunshine." He grinned at her. "Do you feel up to going for a walk with me?" Gaze sliding to Thane, he added, "You can come, too, if you want."

"What about Avalina's traps?" She raised an eyebrow.

His grin widened. "Why do you think I want to go for a walk?"

Letting out a long groan, she asked, "This is a training thing, isn't it?"

Isaac bobbed his head rhythmically. "Get dressed, we're heading out in ten minutes."

"I should let Avalina know," Thane said, glancing between the two of them. "She monitors the traps."

"Sure." Isaac nodded and lifted an eyebrow. "So, you coming with us?"

Thane stroked his thumb over Jasmine's scar again. The thought of being away from her, especially when she'd be leaving him again so soon, left a heavy feeling in his chest. Besides, he didn't doubt Isaac's abilities to detect and avoid the traps, but the land was Thane's, and he'd feel more comfortable being there to assure they didn't get lost and Jasmine remained safe. "Ah. If you're certain you don't mind, then yes."

"I don't mind." Isaac shrugged and pushed himself upright.

Despite her groan of complaint, Thane felt the way Jasmine's muscles twitched and tightened, saw the excitement in her eyes. He knew she loved spending time with him, but he also knew she'd been anxious and growing restless while recovering from her injuries. He was pleased Isaac found something to occupy her, challenge her. She eased herself from his lap, giving him another quick kiss again in the process. He watched her until she disappeared into the bedroom and then opened his omni-tool. Isaac rounded the couch to sit down while Thane sent Avalina a message, letting her know they were going for a walk and intended to use her traps as field practice.

* * *

Jasmine draped her arms over Isaac's shoulders and leaned over his back, tucking her chin down between her arm and his neck. The feeling of the scratch of his stubble against her cheek made her flashback to her childhood for a moment, when her family was still a family, and her father would pick her up, twirl her in the air, and rub his face against hers. It left her feeling wistful and sad, making her huff. "I'm bored."

He chuckled, reaching up to ruffle her hair, the movement wafting his cologne up to tickle at her nose. "What do you want me to do about it?"

"Entertain me." She tilted her head into his, softly slapping one of her hands against his chest.

He scoffed and tugged at her ponytail. "Isn't that your man's job?"

"He's busy," she said with a sigh and a pout.

"So am I." He held the datapad in his other hand up for her to see.

"Isaac," she whined, dragging his name out.

Laughing, he let go of her hair and patted her face. "Give me ten minutes to finish this, and then we'll do something."

"Thank you." She turned and gave him a loud kiss on the cheek, pulling another laugh from him.

Easing back upright, she made her way to the kitchen area and poured herself a glass of cold water from the refrigerator before sitting down at the table and letting her mind drift. Thane was in the bedroom, sitting at the desk going over the details for his next job. She knew if she really wanted his attention, he'd drop what he was doing and give it to her, but she didn't want to get in the way of his work anymore than she already had. She and Isaac would be leaving the next day, so she knew Thane would be focused solely on her _all_ night long. She grinned, looking forward to their time together.

"Alright, Sunshine." Isaac stood from the couch, hitting a few keys on the datapad and switching it off before dropping it to the table. "Put some tennis shoes on, we're going outside."

"More traps?" She swallowed the rest of her water and left the table, putting her glass next to the sink.

"No, I'm going to teach you a few hand-to-hand techniques." He came over to the table and pressed his palms against the surface. "We'll move slow, take it easy."

"Awesome." She grinned and made her way to the bedroom door. "Give me a second."

Stepping inside, she met Thane's gaze when he looked up. She smiled at him, moving over to the desk to lean in and kiss him. "I'm going outside with Bossman."

"Shall I join you?" He raised a brow ridge, lifting a hand to stroke her cheek.

She shook her head and kissed him again. "Nah, stay here and do your thing. I love you."

"And I you." He smiled, dropping his hand from her face.

Jasmine grabbed some socks and her shoes from the closet and sat down on the edge of the bed. She felt Thane's gaze on her as she slid them on, and she glanced over at him, giving him a smile. His face seemed to light up, lips lifting up into the smile he reserved for her, the one telling her how amazed he felt every time he looked at her. She knew it well; she felt the same thing every time she looked at him.

Standing up again, she made her way back over to him and sat down sideways on his lap. He chuckled, wrapping his arms around her waist and opened his mouth to her when she kissed him. She slid her tongue along his and hummed, enticing him to follow when she retreated again. Grip tightening on her waist, he pulled her in closer, head tipping a little further as his tongue chased hers.

"You don't look bored to me."

She pulled away, glancing at the doorway with a grin, seeing Isaac leaning against the door frame. "Jealous, Bossman?"

He smirked and pushed away from the door. "Maybe. Are you coming?"

"Yeah." She gave Thane another chaste kiss. "Hold that thought," she whispered against his lips, "we'll pick this up later."

He chuckled, nipping at her lip. "Indeed."

Dragging her hand across his chest, she scraped her teeth over her lip and winked at him. He grinned at her, and she hopped off his lap and left the room. Isaac waited for her over by the opened front door, heading out when he saw her. She followed him outside, closing the door behind her and making her way down the stairs to join him in the yard.

* * *

She laid on her stomach, head turned to the side, with Thane kneeling over her thighs. Strong, warm hands slid along her back, rubbing oil into her skin, kneading her muscles. Closing her eyes, she let out a soft moan. "You're absolutely perfect, you know that?"

He chuckled, leaning over to nip her shoulder. "I was just thinking the same about you."

"Mmm. I am pretty perfect." Opening her eyes, she turned her head enough to look at him and grinned.

Laughing, he slid his hand up to the back of her neck, working his thumbs and fingers into the muscles along her spine. She turned her face to the bed, pressing her forehead into the mattress, letting out another moan. He was a magician, truly. His hands sought out every little knot, as if he knew exactly where they were all along. Pouring more warmed oil over her, he dragged a finger through the pool in the dip of her lower back, trailing the oil up over her spine, leaving goosebumps in his wake.

"You are more beautiful every time I look at you." Pressing his palms into the oil, he slid them up, pushing in deep as he made his way to her shoulder blades. "I am a better man for having known and loved you, siha."

She hummed, his sentimentality warming her heart. "I feel the same way about you."

"You feel like I've made you a better man?" he asked, a light, teasing quality to his tone.

She let out a bark of laughter. "Smartass."

"If I recall," he said, leaning in to scrape his teeth over the back of her neck, pulling a little gasp from her, "you love my ass."

She arched her back a little, feeling his chest press against her. "Damn right, I do." She grinned. "Nice and round and firm. You've got a great ass."

"Hmmm." He turned his hand, sliding it down between them, dipping into her panties to cup her ass and squeeze. "As do you." Nuzzling against her, he kissed her shoulder. "Roll over?"

She did as he asked when he shifted his weight off of her, and he kissed her, soft lips molding to hers. Bringing a hand up to his face, she slid her fingers over his frills, opening her mouth to him. Mint lingered on his tongue, making her mouth feel cool even as his warm hands worked to stir a heat inside of her, grazing over her breasts before trailing down her sides. She nipped at his lip, and he hummed, the sound throaty, hungry as his tongue delved back into her mouth.

He tore his mouth away from hers, making her whimper. Sitting up, he dipped his hand into the small bowl of oil sitting on the table before letting it drip between his fingers, drizzling over her chest and stomach. He pressed his palm to her sternum before sweeping it over her right breast, cupping and squeezing before gently pinching her nipple, and she sucked in a deep breath, arching her back. Fingers trailing down over her stomach, he swirled around her navel before moving back up to palm her other breast.

Smiling up at him, she reached over and dipped her own hand into the bowl before running her fingers along his arm and over his shoulder, massaging it into his scales, making them glisten in the moonlight. She loved the way he felt beneath her fingertips, the subtle rise and fall of each smooth scale as she passed over them, tight muscles coiling and stretching in her palm as he rubbed her abdomen. Giving her a soft purr, he leaned in and pressed his lips to the scar on her stomach before trailing his tongue over her skin, making her twitch and shiver. Dragging her oiled hand further up his arm, she crested over his shoulder, digging her fingers into the dense muscles of his neck and back.

Kissing, licking, and nipping, he made his way up her body, stopping to pull her nipple into his mouth. Moaning, she threaded her fingers through his crest, sliding them back and forth, spreading the oil over his scalp. She tilted her head back as he moved up, trailing kisses along her throat before scraping his teeth over her pulse, pulling another moan from her. Tongue dipping into the little notch at the base of her throat, Thane hummed and slid his hand back down her side to knead at her waist and hip.

"I love you, Jasmine," he whispered against her throat.

"I love you, too." She tugged at his crest, urging him up to meet her mouth.

He kissed her, the oil on his lips and tongue bittersweet and fragrant. Sweeping his fingers down over her thigh, he took his time, skimming along until he made his way back up to ghost his fingertips over the lace of her panties, making her tremble with anticipation. She cupped his cheek, rubbing her thumb against his frills, coating them in oil. He pulled away from her, though, and moved down lower on the bed, dipping his hand back into the bowl. He dripped it over her thighs and down her legs before moving to kneel at the bottom of the bed. He wrapped his hands around one of her feet, digging the pads of his thumbs into the arch.

She chuckled and let out a little groan. "Come back."

"Patience, siha." He spent a few seconds longer with her left foot before settling it on his shoulder and moving to the right.

Humming, she closed her eyes and focused on the sensations. After putting her other foot on his opposite shoulder, his hands slid over her shins, spreading the drops of oil around before dipping under her legs to knead her calves. She groaned, her muscles falling slack and feeling pleasantly weak in his grasp. Edging up a little further on the bed, bending her knees in the process, he turned his head and nipped at her shin, giving her goosebumps.

He worked his way up to the underside of her thighs, squeezing, digging deep into the muscles but always staying just on the right side of it being painful. Despite the growing tension between her legs, the rest of her was starting to feel so relaxed, she thought she might just melt into the bed. Moving to the outer parts of her thighs, he scooted up a little closer, bending her legs a little further.

Taking his time, he worked at the muscles, making sure they were good and relaxed before shifting to the tops of her legs to do the same. He rubbed his thumbs just inside her hip bones before trailing his hands back down her legs, moving her feet from his shoulders to rest next to his legs. Applying gentle pressure, he spread her legs, letting them drop opened to the mattress. Starting at the knees, he massaged the inside of her thighs, painstakingly slow as he worked his way up.

Her breath caught in her throat, heat building between her legs making her slick and desperate to be touched. But still he took his time, moving slow enough to drive her mad, teasing her as his hands crawled closer and closer. Unable to help herself, she rolled her hips a little and let out a soft, needy whimper. He hummed but kept up his massage, kneading her inner thighs.

When at long last he reached the end, he rubbed his thumbs into her groin muscles, pulling and pushing at her center as he worked, making her moan and roll her hips. Sliding his hands up, skilfully avoiding touching her where she most wanted him to, he tucked his fingers into the hem of her panties and tugged them down. She lifted her ass, letting him drag them off completely, sliding them down her legs and tossing them aside.

His breath washed over her as he lowered himself between her legs, leaving her fluttering low in her abdomen. Scorching hot and wet, his tongue parted her, slipping along the edges before finally flicking over her clit, stealing her breath and making her shudder. She moaned, reaching down to brush her fingertips over his crest, only the slightest twinge of pain coming from her injuries. His mouth closed over her, sucking and licking, sending little shocks of ecstasy through her.

Fused digits slipped through her folds before sinking inside of her, and she arched her back, pressing her head into the pillows. She clenched around his hand, rocking her hips as he curled his fingers, rubbing circles against her inner walls. Easing his fingers back out of her, he rubbed them up and down, replacing his tongue with his fingers against her clit while he kissed the inside of her thigh. Dipping back inside of her, he brought his mouth back, tongue pressing flat against her clit before dragging upward. She moaned and trembled, feeling like he knew every atom in her body and intended to make love to each one.

The pressure was already building inside of her, calling her like the whisper of a cool summer night's breeze, enticing her to come outside and walk barefoot through the warm grass. Christ, she loved Thane and the things he made her feel, inside and out. His free hand wrapped under her leg, fingers curling over her hip, pulling her into his movements as his fingers slipped deeper and deeper inside of her. His tongue swirled around her clit, sliding up and down the bundle of nerves leading deeper into her body.

From hip to hip, everything in between tightened, a golden ball of burning energy settling in her pelvis. She moaned, pushing against him, and he responded by moving faster, knowing exactly what she needed. "Oh, God," she murmured.

She moved her hand from his crest to his hand on her hip, and he flipped his hand over, wrapping his fingers around hers. Tighter and tighter, she squeezed against him, bucking her hips as his tongue lapped at her, pushing her closer and closer to the edge until she felt like she wouldn't survive if he stopped. He thrust his fingers deeper inside of her and moaned against her, giving her the final push, and she came undone.

Crying out, she folded in on herself, shuddering as her insides fluttered and spasmed, sending waves of pleasure crashing through her. His fingers and tongue kept moving, pulling every last ounce of euphoria from her orgasm. She collapsed back on the bed, panting, little aftershocks still rocking her every few seconds.

He disappeared, letting cool air wash over her, but a few seconds later her was there again, the warmth of his body surrounding her. Eyes still closed, she reached out, arms wrapping around his back and tugged. His mouth closed over hers, and the taste of her own fluids on his tongue only made her want him even more. Sliding a hand along her thigh, he pulled her a little, adjusting her hips as he lined himself up. She lifted her hips, welcoming him inside as he pressed against her, spreading her as he eased inside.

Sucking a deep breath in through her nose, she brushed her tongue over his and pulled him in closer, wanting to feel his chest pressed against hers. He lowered himself to his elbows, carefully keeping his weight off her right side, and pushed the rest of the way inside of her, filling her so completely she didn't know where he ended and she began. Breaking the kiss, he nuzzled in against her neck, licking and nipping at her as he started to move within her. She hooked her ankles around the back of his thighs, pulling him into her as they moved together. The pace he set was slow and gentle, and she knew he intended to savor her completely.


	55. The Greater Good

**A/N:** **Mellina and Lenat are original characters created by MizDirected. The HC presented here about biotic turian twins is primarily of MizDirected's creation.**

 **The Greater Good**

"Here's a gown. Just push this button here once you've changed and you're ready." The nurse set the gown down on the counter and pointed to a button on the wall. She turned to Isaac and said, "If you'd like to wait outside, sir, there are chairs just around the corner to your left."

Jasmine grabbed the hem of his jacket and whispered, "Stay with me?"

"Are you sure?" He raised an eyebrow.

She swallowed, stomach twisting into knots, and nodded. "Please?"

It'd been a long time since anything made her feel so nervous and needy, but just then she _needed_ her friend by her side. Her ally. She hated it. It left her wanting to pull him closer and cower behind his back while at the same time shove him away and insist she could stand on her own two feet. Muscles tightened, yet felt weak and shaky at the same time.

The fate of her future would be decided in the doctor's office, one way or another. The only person who stood a chance of putting her more at ease than Isaac was Thane, and he was light-years away. Geoffrey might've been helpful, too, and although he lived _much_ closer, he was no more able to be there with her than Thane. She might as well be on a deserted island with no one but Isaac to hold her hand.

The nurse hesitated, looking back and forth between them like she wanted to say something, probably make some argument about how inappropriate it'd be for Isaac to stay. She didn't say anything else, though. Lowering her gaze, she left the examination room, closing the door behind her.

Sitting down, Jasmine pulled off her shoes and glanced at Isaac. "Will I get to know what they're going to tell The Bitch, or do I have to just wait and see what happens?"

He shrugged, leaning against the wall. "They're your medical records, you have a right to them."

Standing again, she stripped off her shirt and pants. She glanced up to see him studying her scars, brow furrowed and a frown on his face. Looking down at herself, she ran her fingers over the knotted skin on her abdomen before glancing at him again. "What's wrong?" She actually thought the scars were kind of cool. Not that she wouldn't trade them in a heartbeat for never having gotten shot.

He looked up, meeting her gaze, mask of cool indifference slipping back over his face. "Nothing."

"Bullshit." She grabbed the gown and slipped it on. "Tie this for me?" she asked, turning around and moving her hair out of the way. She didn't hear him push away from the wall or cross the floor, but a couple of seconds later, she felt his fingers brush against her back as he gathered the strings.

"I hoped they wouldn't scar so bad," he said, voice soft, as he tied the gown.

She smiled and turned around when she felt him step away. "It's not so bad. Thane's not turned off by them, and I think they kind of make me look like a badass." Of course, she realized the scars put a damper on any jobs requiring her to wear slinky clothes and seduce a mark … but maybe she'd find some makeup or something to cover them.

Chuckling, he reached out and patted her cheek. "You _are_ a badass, Sunshine."

"Thanks," she said, giving him a wide grin before pushing the button on the wall.

"Of course," he said, holding his hands out, "you're not as much of a badass as _I_ am, but I'll get you there."

Snorting, she turned to climb up on the exam table. "Does that mean I'll be getting more scars to measure up to your collection?" she asked, watching him closely. She had a feeling _his_ scars were really the root of the issue, but his expression gave nothing away.

"Not if I do my job right." He leaned against the wall again, arms crossed loosely over his chest.

A knock at the door signaled the arrival of the doctor, and she turned toward the door. "Come in."

The door opened, and a woman in a white lab coat walked in, a warm smile on her face. She closed the door behind her and turned her attention to Jasmine. "Ms. Shepard?"

"Yes." Jasmine nodded, feeling anxious and tense all over again.

Her gaze shifted to Isaac, using him as an anchor to keep her from saying 'fuck this' and jumping down off the table, bolting for the door. She'd never liked doctors. They always had a way of making her feel … inadequate. No matter how healthy, they always found _something_ to complain about, something to tell her she needed to improve. Sure, when she went into the hospital with pneumonia at fourteen, telling her to eat more than once a day and get off drugs was _probably_ good advice, but still ….

Holding out her hand, the doctor said, "I'm Dr. Ashcroft."

Jasmine shook the woman's hand and took a slow, deep breath, using her diaphragm to pull the air into her lungs to make it less obvious to the woman in front of her.

After flashing Jasmine a smile, Dr. Ashcroft turned to Isaac. "Are you Mr. Shepard?"

Smirking, he shook his head. "No, I'm her CO. Isaac Winter. She asked me to stay."

"Oh, I see." Dr. Ashcroft smiled again and held her hand out to Isaac. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Winter."

"Isaac, please." He pushed off the wall to shake her hand before slinking back to his chosen observation spot.

Jasmine made a mental note to ask him sometime why it seemed as if he didn't like using his last name. She forced a smile on her face when the doctor turned back around. "Should I lay down?"

"Yes, please." Dr. Ashcroft looked over a datapad for a second before asking, "We're evaluating injuries sustained to the right shoulder and the right side of your abdomen, caused by an assault rifle, is this correct?"

"Yes, ma'am," Jasmine said, easing back onto the exam table and taking another deep, calming breath.

* * *

Isaac navigated the shuttle over the mountain range. Down below, trees, grass, and wildflowers covered the landscape in beauty. Jasmine even spotted a black bear and a cougar along the way. Inside the shuttle, tension filled the air. She knew as well as he did that they were heading into unknown territory with very little information on the people they were going to meet. They didn't know if they'd be welcomed, turned away, or shot at on sight, but neither of them was willing to turn the shuttle back around and give up without trying.

"Dr. Ashcroft seemed pretty impressed with your recovery," Isaac said.

The sudden sound of his voice after hours of silence between the two of them felt jarring. She blinked, turning her head from the window to look at him. "Yeah, she said she's putting it in her report that she doesn't see any reason why I won't be able to return to active duty once the bone in my shoulder has finished healing." She'd already told him as much when they left the doctor's office, and she knew he hadn't forgotten. So, she figured he was probably just searching for something to put them both at ease.

"That's great." He bobbed his head. "Langston still might decide to send you in for a second opinion, but it's unlikely anyone would argue with Dr. Ashcroft's determination."

"You think so?" She raised an eyebrow. Never one to be especially optimistic, she didn't feel so sure Isaac was right, but she'd take whatever ray of hope he wanted to throw her way.

He nodded and glanced at her. "Definitely." Turning his attention back out the windshield, his brow furrowed, and he said, "Shit."

Head jerking around, she followed his gaze until she spotted a drone flying toward the shuttle. "Fuck." She reached behind her, pulling out her pistol and checking the thermal clip. "What do you want to do?"

 _So much for scoping the place out before we go in. Damn it._

"Just … wait a minute." Isaac pulled out his own pistol, letting the shuttle drive itself, and checked it over. "Let's see what it's doing."

The drone approached the shuttle, but if it had weapons capabilities, it didn't engage them. Circling the shuttle, the drone reappeared in front of them, staying three meters or so in front as if acting as an escort. The question was, did whoever controlled the drone intend to make sure they arrived at their destination … or ensure they never made it there? Either way, the appearance of the drone made it safe to say their potential contact knew they were coming. Isaac already scanned satellite images of the mountain range, and the only structure in the area bigger than a picnic table—the only place they could reasonably be headed—was the stone cottage.

"Hold for now but be ready." He reholstered his pistol and slowed the shuttle a little, deactivating the autopilot to resume control of the vehicle.

They continued on, Isaac checking the coordinates every few seconds. The drone stayed in sight, keeping the same distance between itself and their shuttle, never straying off course. A couple of minutes later, the roof of the cabin came into sight. Dropping down into the clearing, the drone turned, hovering over the cabin as if to watch their descent.

Isaac glanced at Jasmine, and she sucked in a deep breath, nodding. He lowered the shuttle down into the yard. The door cracked open, and an older turian woman stepped outside, assault rifle held at the ready, aimed at the car. Jasmine tightened her grip on her pistol and sucked in a slow, deep breath, waiting for Isaac's word.

He sat there in silence, staring out the windshield at the turian for several, long seconds. "Put your gun away," he said softly. "I'll get out first, give her a chance to see I'm not holding a weapon, and then you get out slowly. Keep your hands where she can see them."

She gave him a quick jerk of her head in acknowledgment, flipped the safety on, and holstered her pistol. Another deep breath stilled her nerves as he opened his door, long legs leading the way out of the vehicle. She watched the turian intently, taking in every detail she could see from the distance. The particular way the turian stood, blocking the entrance with her body, angled only slightly towards the skycar, told Jasmine the woman's bondmate was inside and gave her a rough estimate of his location within the cabin. The tightness of the woman's mandibles made it clear their arrival wasn't welcome—even if the assault rifle in her hand didn't. It was her sure grip on the weapon, though, which told Jasmine the turian wouldn't hesitate to shoot, not even for half a second.

The woman watched as Isaac stepped out, rising to his full height, hands held out in front of him. Her gaze flicked back to the passenger seat of the skycar. "Now your friend."

Glancing back inside the car, Isaac nodded at her, so Jasmine sucked in a slow breath and opened her door. She itched to pull her pistol back out, not at all comfortable with the current dynamics of her situation. But, she did exactly as he'd told her to. She trusted him. Stepping out of the car, she made sure the turian saw her empty hands, and then she offered the woman a friendly smile.

"We just came to talk," Isaac said, his voice calm and sure. "We're hoping you can help us, give us some information on something, and we're more than willing to compensate you for that information and your time."

Mandibles flicking—a sign of agitation, if Jasmine wasn't mistaken—the turian glanced between Jasmine and Isaac for a moment. "Information on what?"

Jasmine glanced at Isaac, and he nodded at her, so she turned her attention back to the woman and said, "A human terrorist organization called Cerberus." She paused, taking note of the sudden, deathly still look of the turian. "Anything you can tell us about who they are, where they are … what we might be facing," she said, the last statement a bit of a gamble, but one she instantly knew paid off.

"You're going after Cerberus?" The turian lowered her assault rifle just a fraction, mandibles relaxing enough to flutter softly as she looked over Jasmine. Her gaze shifted to Isaac. "Or are you looking to join them?"

"Definitely not looking to join them, ma'am," Isaac shook his head. "Right now, all we're doing is gathering information and evidence on the organization."

 _Evidence. Good choice of word, Bossman._

* * *

Thane watched the group of mixed species down below through his scope. The picture of the human woman—his primary target—did not do her justice. Nothing prepared him for just how much like Jasmine the woman looked in person. To say it gave him pause would be an understatement. Still, he wasn't foolish enough to allow such a coincidence to deter him from completing his contract.

The secondary target, a hanar, didn't particularly make the contract any easier for him, either. He'd killed hanar before, quite a few, but almost always under the orders of the Compact. Doing so as a freelancer, and without the security of being deep in his battle sleep, brought about a mild sense of guilt. It felt like a betrayal to the people who'd saved his species; a stark contrast to the way drell were taught to view and treat the hanar.

He would do as he must, though, and send the both of them to the sea. Their deaths would leave the world a brighter place; two fewer people in the galaxy intent on sowing hatred and contempt for those less fortunate than they. The two were high ranking members of a multi-species organization known as The Council for Reformation. The group espoused a belief that all public support services should be terminated, those who relied on the programs for food, shelter, medical care … should be left to either fend for themselves or die. It didn't matter to The Council for Reformation that the vast majority of the people using those same services weren't capable of fending for themselves. It disturbed him greatly to see hanar taking part in such an organization, considering the drell weren't able to save themselves when the hanar found Rakhana.

However, it wasn't their actions as members of The Council for Reformation which upset his client enough to hire his services. The human, Sophia Alvarez, embezzled credits from her employers in order to funnel them into The Council for Reformation. The hanar, Onarakin, sabotaged a freighter carrying goods, some of which were slated as donations to charitable organizations put in place to help colonists still establishing productive communities on newly inhabited planets. Both the freighter company and the merchant business Sophia worked for were owned and operated by the same corporation. A corporation with deep pockets and a strong desire to stay beneath the attention and concern of the law.

Waiting patiently, he counted the minutes until the meeting would come to an end, and the others present would take their leave, decreasing the chance of collateral damage and the opportunity to be seen. The longer he waited, though, watching Sophia through his scope, the more unnerved he became by her resemblance to Jasmine. And, of course, thinking of his siha only brought her face forefront, memories slipping through his guard to tease his mind, forcing him to push them away and dive deeper into his battle sleep. He prayed he would find his way back out of it once more.

At last, the meeting adjourned and the room began to clear. As expected, Sophia and Onarakin remained behind. Unexpectedly, so did a few others: two turians and an asari. He recognized them easily enough as other influential members of The Council for Reformation, having researched the group and its members prior to arriving at the meeting hall. It came as a break in their routine, and also something which appeared to surprise Sophia as her eyebrows lifted, lips parting ever so slightly.

She hesitated, lingering near the head of the table. "Did we have an appointment scheduled?" Taking a step closer, she smiled. "I don't remember seeing one on the books."

"No, Ms. Alvarez," the asari, Nemali T'Vas, said and waved her hand at the table. "Please, might we sit down and talk?"

"Oh," Sophia said, looking down at the table before meeting the asari's gaze again, "I've only got a few minutes but sure."

"Thank you." Nemali pulled out a chair, taking a seat as she glanced at the two turians.

Sevat Achamilius took a seat to Nemali's left while Dexius Aetas sat to her right. Neither spoke, and their gazes never left Sophia. Onarakin moved closer to the edge of the table, bioluminescence making his confusion and discomfort over the change of plans clear. Sophia pulled out the chair she'd vacated at the end of the meeting, sitting down once more.

She folded her hands on the table and glanced between the three sitting across from her. "What can I do for you?"

* * *

"Sorry, we don't get many visitors here. I'm afraid I don't really have anything to offer you aside from water." The turian woman had introduced herself as Mellina after lowering her weapon and inviting them inside.

"It's quite alright, your hospitality is appreciated either way." Isaac took the seat offered to him, and Jasmine sat down next to him, hands folded on top of the table.

"Allow me to introduce my bondmate, Lenat." Mellina held her hand out, gesturing at the male turian sitting at the dining room table.

Lenat's gaze shifted restlessly between Jasmine and Isaac, mandibles snapping back and forth against his jaw with each flick of his eyes. "And who might you be?"

"It's nice to meet you, sir." Isaac leaned forward just a hair. "My name is Ray and this is Ramona. We wanted to talk to you and your wife about Cerberus."

The man's mandibles stilled, his gaze locking on Isaac. "And what makes you think we know anything about this Cerberus?"

"We have a contact who provided us with minimal information about you and your wife as potential sources of information," Isaac said, spreading his hands open, palm up. "If he was mistaken, then I apologize, we don't wish to waste your time."

"They're looking for _evidence_ against Cerberus, Lenat … I think we should help them." Mellina pulled out the chair, sitting down next to her bondmate and putting the gun on the table between them before settling her hand atop of his.

Flaring his mandibles, he looked at Mellina, gaze softening as he let out a soft chuff. "Are you sure this is wise?"

She hummed, mandibles fluttering softly. "No, but what do we have to lose? They've already found us; if they bring trouble with them, the damage is already done."

He rumbled, looking down at his bondmate's hand. "Perhaps you're right." Taking a deep breath, he turned his attention back to Isaac and Jasmine. "What is it you're looking for?"

"Anything at all you can tell us," Jasmine said, glancing between the couple and Isaac. Hope and excitement took root in her, leaving her almost salivating at the prospect of finally getting answers she could really sink her teeth into. "Anything at all."

Lenat hummed. "I first heard of Cerberus while investigating a series of missing people; all turian twins, all biotics." He flicked his mandibles.

"Biotic turian twins are … special, so this created quite a concern for the Hierarchy. He'd been working for the Council, _unofficially_ , and he's a biotic twin himself, though his brother died at birth." Mellina pulled in a slow, deep breath, tightening her grip on her bondmate's hand. "So, it was only natural for him to want to know exactly what happened to those people."

"The Council and the Alliance alike declared Cerberus a terrorist organization." Humming, Lenat fluttered his mandible, a hint of pride coloring his subvocals as he said, "It took some time, but I finally located a facility of theirs on Gellix in the Arrae System."

"The Arrae System?" Isaac raised an eyebrow. "That's turian controlled space."

"Exactly. I believe you humans have an apt saying: 'adding insult to injury.'" Lenat flicked his mandibles, the irritation clear on his face and in his voice.

"I was also Lenat's handler, not just his bondmate. So, when he went missing, too, I was extremely motivated to find him." Mellina paused to smile at Lenat when he shifted his other hand to rest atop hers, sandwiching it between both of his. "We had been bonded four decades by that time, my mate an extension of myself, so I began to dig into both the collectors—who we originally suspected as being those responsible—and Cerberus. The Hierarchy and the Council refused to even acknowledge his existence let alone authorize a search for him. I traced Lenat to the Cerberus facility. What I saw in that place gives me nightmares and will for the rest of my life."

Hearing the turian mention the collectors sparked a different interest in Jasmine, knowing Thane looked into them himself, but it wasn't why she came there. She swallowed, gently clearing her throat. "What did you see?" she asked, her voice sounding a little hoarse.

"Oh dear, I forgot to get your water. Excuse me for a moment, I'll be right back." Before anyone could say anything, Mellina slipped her hand free from Lenat's and left the table.

With her gone, Lenat only watched them in silence, his mandibles fluttering softly from time to time. Jasmine offered him a warm smile, but it didn't seem to have much effect on the man. A moment later, the soft, shuffling sounds of Mellina's gait announced her return, a tray with glasses of water balanced on her hand. She smiled at them, easing the tray down on the table before picking up a glass. Holding Isaac's gaze, she took a sip and dipped her head, setting the glass in front of him before picking up another glass and doing the same for Jasmine.

Flicking her mandibles, she smirked, glancing at Isaac again as she sat the last two glasses in front of herself and Lenat. "So you know it's not poisoned." She chuckled, sitting down again. "I recognize another handler and their charge when I see one."

Isaac smiled, lifting the glass to his lips and took a small sip before setting it back down. "Thank you."

Mellina's gaze shifted to Jasmine, an expectant look filling her gaze and lifting her brow plates. Jasmine wasn't entirely sure she trusted the turian couple to drink something not poured right in front of her, but she knew if she didn't accept—especially after Isaac did—it would not only be an insult, but it'd shut down their conversation. She wanted answers. Smiling, she brought the glass to her mouth and took a drink before setting it back down.

Mandibles fluttering, Mellina let out a soft, happy sounding trill before she asked. "Now, where were we? Ah, yes, Gellix." Turning to her husband, sadness filled her eyes, and she let out a soft sigh. "Cerberus nearly killed Lenat." She took his hand in hers again before turning her attention back to Jasmine and Isaac. "They did kill a great many other turians, salarians, asari … people of every species, no more than their own. I rescued as many as I could, shooting my way through, but I'm certain it isn't their only facility. They are searching for something with a will and ruthlessness I can only call diabolical."

"What were they doing to the people they held there?" Jasmine asked, gaze shifting between the two turians before falling on Lenat. "I'm so sorry. I'm sure this must be difficult for you, and I hate to make you relive whatever happened to you in that place, but we'd really appreciate as much detail as you can provide."

Lenat flared his mandibles, letting out a low rumble. "Torture. There really isn't any other word for it. Though, if you asked them, they'd tell you they were doing experiments for the greater good of humanity." Picking up his glass of water, he took a long, slow drink before setting it back down again. "They performed living autopsies on some. Implanted others with cybernetics before putting them through rigorous testing, attempting to increase strength, speed, stamina … you name it. Some of us were injected with a variety of drugs … to create or suppress biotics, to create false immunities to toxins … Spirits only know what else."

Rumbling again, he looked down at his bondmate's hand. He fell silent for a long time, long enough for Jasmine to start to wonder if he intended to speak again. She glanced at Isaac, but his gaze stayed steady on the older turian. After a stretch of several minutes, Mellina cooed softly, and Lenat met her gaze. She smiled, mandibles twitching and nodded her head.

Lenat took a deep breath, looking back at Jasmine. "Turian twins are a rarity, biotic twins even more so. A sort of bond forms between us, fueled by our biotics. It starts shortly after conception and only grows stronger as we develop within our mothers. By the time we are born, we are more or less quantumly entangled, emotionally speaking. Completely empathic with one another." He hummed, gaze flicking between Jasmine and Isaac. "As you can imagine, this makes us especially deadly on the battlefield, and quite an asset to any cabal unit."

"Cerberus wanted to understand not only _how_ this occurs with turians, but how to harness this trait so it can be induced in humans." Mellina let out a harsh chuff, shaking her head. "Nevermind we are a completely different species with different biologies and evolutionary traits."

Clearing his throat, Lenat drew Jasmine's attention back to him. "Because my brother died at birth, our entanglement was broken. For most, when one twin dies, the survivor's biotics go out of control, either killing the turian or driving them insane. Some would say I am lucky in this because the bond was not yet so strong and my brain still growing." His gaze switched to Isaac and held steady on him. "But it's left me … open to picking up the emotions of others, specifically other biotics."

Mellina's gaze drifted to Isaac, mandibles still and eyes widening a hair as understanding seemed to take hold. Jasmine watched Isaac out of the corner of her eye, hesitant to look at him, too and confirm anything in doing so. Without a word, Isaac held out a hand, palm up, letting his biotics flare to life over his fingertips before extinguishing them once again. Mellina's hand started to move toward the assault rifle, triggering Jasmine's instinct to reach for her own pistol.

"Stand down," Isaac held his hand up toward Jasmine.

Sucking in a deep breath, she put both of her hands back on the table, balled into fists. Her heart beat against her sternum, adrenaline flooding her system. Everything in her told her to draw her weapon and remove the threat before the threat removed her. The fraction of a second seemed to last for an eternity as she watched the woman's hand continue to her assault rifle.

Lenat reached across, setting his hand down on Mellina's, stopping her from wrapping her fingers around the weapon. "He's not here to cause trouble, Mellina. Listening to this has caused him anger and grief, not a hint of greed. He's good at keeping his emotions under wraps, I can't smell it on him, but I can feel it."

* * *

At last the impromptu meeting came to an end, leaving Sophia and Onarakin alone. Thane waited a moment longer just to be certain there would be no more interruptions before lining up his laser dot with the back of Sophia's head. He took a breath, finger caressing the trigger on his exhale, and the woman fell. Onarakin turned toward the noise of her collapse, and Thane shifted, accommodating the movements of the hanar toward his human companion. Another caress, and the hanar, too, died.

Collapsing his sniper rifle, he secured it on his back and stood. He clasped his hands in front of his face and closed his eyes.

 _Kalahira, mistress of inscrutable depths, I ask forgiveness. Kalahira, whose waves wear down stone and sand—Kalahira, wash away my sins. I have taken lives which were not mine to claim, yet I am but your servant. Kalahira, guide these souls to the distant shore of the infinite spirit as your brother, the Lord of Hunters, guides my hand and your sister, the Goddess of Motherhood and Protection, guides my heart. When my time comes—as it must for all—take me into your embrace and deliver me to your shores, Kalahira._

He turned and walked away.

* * *

"So, are we going to Gellix?" Jasmine asked, taking a seat on the edge of one of the two beds in the hotel room they'd decided to share.

After talking with Mellina and Lenat, her head hurt from overthinking and brooding. The things the couple talked about witnessing in the Cerberus facility made her want to vomit and go blow the whole place up. What kind of sick fucking assholes performed autopsies on living people?

Isaac took them into Penticton, saying he needed to make some calls and think about their next move. The turian couple provided them with the coordinates to the Cerberus facility on Gellix, but they both agreed it was unlikely Cerberus remained at the facility after Lenat's escape. Still, there might be something there; some scrap of evidence, a name, location, anything little thing might help.

Unbuttoning his jacket, Isaac hung it up in the closet before turning back to look at her. "I think we might." Sucking in a deep breath, he started to work unbuttoning his shirt. "You know this will be dangerous, though. If we go to Gellix, if there is still a Cerberus presence there, then there's a good chance we'll be putting targets on our heads." Hanging up his shirt, he glanced over his shoulder. "Are you sure this is something you want to do, Sunshine?"

She lowered her gaze to the black, white, and blue swirls of the bedspread on the opposite bed. Was she sure? Looking into a group as dangerous as Cerberus appeared—one that might even be operating under the protection of the Alliance—did more than put a target on _her_ head if things went sideways. There were people in her life whom she loved, people enemies might easily decide to target as a means to get to her.

Closing her eyes, she pulled up the faces of those most vulnerable … Rift, Samantha, Angela, Jessica, Karin, and even Geoffry. He might be Alliance trained, but he wouldn't stand a chance against a professional assassin. Especially if he had no clue it was coming. And Kolyat, dear God, she loved Kolyat, too. Although she supposed it was quite a stretch to think anyone would go after Kolyat to get to her. There was Mouse and the other duct rats to consider, as well, but again … what ties to them could Cerberus possibly find?

 _Rift._

"Sunshine?" Isaac's voice came from right in front of her, soft and concerned, and then the bed dipped next to her. "You don't have to do this, Jasmine. You don't have to be involved in any of this."

Opening her eyes, she turned her head and looked at him, studying the sincerity she found in his dark brown eyes. "I'm already involved, but it's not _me_ I'm worried about."

He gave her a slow nod of his head before wrapping an arm around her shoulder and pulling her into his side. "I can't make the call for you, but nothing's set in stone yet. Take some time, think about it. I've got some other things I want to do while we're on Earth, so we're not going _anywhere_ right away."


	56. Like a Peasant

**Like a Peasant**

"Wait … didn't you say you're from Seattle?" Jasmine glanced at Isaac, raising an eyebrow.

He smirked. "I did."

"So …." She trailed off, welcoming him to fill in the rest, though for some reason she thought she already knew the answer. And it shocked the hell out of her.

"We're going to my parents' house," he said, glancing her way.

She sat there staring at him for a moment, fully aware the look of surprise on her face made her look like a moron. "Are you fucking serious?"

He laughed, the sound almost deafeningly loud in the shuttle. "I am."

"Wow." Blinking, she fell silent for a few seconds. "I don't even—I don't know what to say."

"That's a first." Smirking, he glanced her way again before turning his attention back to the shuttle's navigation systems.

She snorted, rolling her eyes. "Shut up. This is a really big deal, and you know it."

"I do. And, you're the only person I've ever brought home since joining the Phantoms." He turned his head to look at her, eyes dead serious when he said, "If you ever make me regret it, I'll kill you. It'll mess me up to do it, Sunshine, but they're my family."

She expected nothing less but having him say it straight to her face, not even a hint of hesitation in his eyes, stung. Maybe scared her a little, too. Still, the fact he was even willing to let her anywhere near his family spoke volumes about how much he'd come to trust her, and she'd damn sure do her best to _never_ do anything to make him regret the decision.

It was more or less a sacred act in the assassin culture. The closest she ever came to deliberately merging her two worlds was introducing Thane the day Geoffrey took Rift home and then letting Leon say hello to Rift over vidcall on Illium. She killed Leon, so she never needed to worry about him hurting anyone she loved, and now Thane _was_ someone she loved.

Licking her lips, she nodded. "Of course." She held his gaze until he turned his attention back to navigating. "Not that I'm complaining, but _why_ are we going to your parents' house?"

Glancing at her again, he took a deep breath and said, "Because this may be the last chance I get to see them if things go bad with this Cerberus thing, and I need to warn my father. I promised him if I ever thought I might be getting in too deep I'd let him know. Give him the chance to increase security at home … and figure out how to break the news to the rest of my family if I get killed."

The thought of him dying—especially over the Cerberus crap _she_ brought to the table—twisted at her heart, making it painful to breathe for a second. She wanted to tell him to forget she ever said anything about Cerberus, tell him he didn't need to be involved the same as he told her back in Penticton, but she knew it'd only insult him. She was his subordinate, after all, and he made a commitment to see it through, if for no other reason than to protect Jasmine.

At a loss as to what else to say, she finally asked, "Your family knows you're a Phantom?"

He bobbed his head. "Sort of. Most of them just know I do really dangerous, classified work within the Alliance, and I can't tell them anything more specific. My dad knows, though. I didn't tell him, but he's got enough money and friends in high enough places …."

"Gotcha." She hummed, tapping her nails on the door a few times. "So, who are you going to tell them I am?"

He pursed his lips. "What would you like me to tell them?"

She thought about it for a few seconds and then shrugged. "I don't care, whatever you're comfortable with. They're your family, and I _guess_ I trust you. Just give me a heads up so I know what to expect."

"You _guess_?" He looked at her, eyebrows raised to comical heights, and she grinned. "Then I'll just tell them the truth: I'm your CO."

"Okay. Anything I should know about your family before we get there?" She snorted, cocking an eyebrow. "Other than the fact they're filthy rich, and I'm going to feel like a complete peasant around them?"

Chuckling, he shook his head. "You don't feel like a peasant around me, do you?"

"I mean …" She dragged out the word, letting it crackle in her throat. "… sometimes, kind of."

He looked at her, studying her face for a moment before shaking his head. "Don't. Credits don't make me any better than you, Jasmine. They don't make me any better than anyone."

* * *

She stared up at the mansion sprawled out in front of her—and yes, regardless of what Isaac said, the damn place looked like a fucking _mansion_ —a sick feeling weighing heavily in her stomach. It wasn't the nicest place she'd ever seen, of course, but she meant to go in there to meet her handler's family, not kill them. Jasmine Shepard, an orphaned girl who more or less raised herself on the streets, addicted to red sand, stealing to eat, fighting to survive … not some alias she'd been assigned for a job.

"Do I need to drag you out of there and throw you over my shoulder?" Isaac asked, leaning into the opened, driver's side door.

Tearing her gaze away from the 'house', she glanced at him and snorted. "I'm coming, I'm coming." She opened her door, taking a deep breath as she stepped outside, gravel crunching under her feet.

They only made it halfway up the cobblestone path leading to the house before the door opened and a young woman with the same, brilliant smile as Isaac came running outside. She made a beeline down the stairs straight for Isaac, jumping into his arms when she reached him. He laughed, lifting her from the ground and spinning her around before setting her down again.

Pulling back to look Isaac up and down, she smiled before glancing Jasmine's way. "You finally brought a girl home. Daddy's going have a heart attack."

Sucking his teeth, he threw his arm around the woman—the family resemblance unmistakeable—and pulled her in against his side. "Annabelle," he said, glancing at Jasmine, eyebrow ticking up just enough for her to catch the question behind it and nod in answer, "this is Jasmine. We work together. I'm her CO, so maybe don't embarrass me too much, alright?"

Slapping his chest, Annabelle scoffed. "Please, you embarrass yourself enough as it is." She turned her smile on Jasmine, holding out a hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

Jasmine shook her hand, offering her a warm smile. "You, too."

And just like that, Annabelle seemed to dismiss Jasmine completely. Turning her attention back to her brother, she started tugging him toward the door. "Mom is going to be so happy to see you. We weren't expecting you, why didn't you call ahead?" She waved her hand, continuing on with her rapid-fire monologue, "Oh, you know what, nevermind. I'm just glad you're here. I have something I want to show you. Did you know Rachel and Delmar are engaged? Wait, have you even _met_ Delmar? I don't think you have. I think the last boyfriend of Rachel's you met was Hamilton. Oh my God, I'm _so_ glad she dumped him."

"Annabelle, stop talking your brother's ear off and let them get inside!" An older woman, the image of poise and grace and far more credits than Jasmine could ever hope to see in her lifetime, appeared in the doorway. Her eyes sparkled, a smile warming her face.

"Hey, Momma," Isaac said, breaking away from his sister to rush up the steps to pull his mother into an embrace.

Annabelle snickered, moving in closer to Jasmine as they reached the bottom of the stairs. She leaned in a little, her voice low and conspiratorial when she said, "He always has been a momma's boy."

Jasmine chuckled, glancing at the woman—judging her to be in her early twenties—and lifted an eyebrow. "Is that so?"

"Girl, yes." Annabelle let out a soft scoff, pursing her lips all the way out and up the same way Jasmine saw Isaac do on occasion. She waved her hand dismissively. "That man would lose his mind completely if something ever happened to her."

Swallowing against the knot in her throat and the images of her own mother's lifeless body lying on the bathroom floor, Jasmine didn't really know how to respond. So, she didn't say anything at all, only offered the woman a smile. By the time they reached the top of the stairs, Isaac already released his mother and turned back to face them, a peaceful smile on his face. His mother watched Jasmine, and if Jasmine expected to see some form of judgment in the woman's gaze, she was wrong. She found only joy and curiosity.

"Momma, this is Jasmine." He held his hand out to her, waving her closer. "Jasmine, this is my mother, Camilla."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Winter," Jasmine said, holding out her hand.

"The pleasure is mine, dear, but please, call me Camilla." Her hand felt delicate, but somehow, her handshake was still firm. "Please, come inside." She stepped back, sweeping her hand in toward the house.

Glancing inside and seeing a pristine, marbled foyer, Jasmine hesitated. Isaac put his hand on the small of her back and gave her a little nudge. She looked up at him, and he smiled, nodding his head toward the door. Suppressing a groan, she stepped inside, following Camilla as she turned into the house.

"You must stay for dinner, Isaac." Camilla waved a hand, turning her head a little toward him but not enough to actually look at Isaac. "Your father will be home in about an hour."

"I'd planned on it." He grinned glancing down at Jasmine.

"Of course you did," Annabelle said, laughing and bumping her shoulder against him.

* * *

"What does your family do, Jasmine?" Isaac's father, Adrian, asked as he cut into his steak.

"Pops," Isaac said before she could respond, shaking his head. "Don't. Please, just let her eat."

"What?" Adrian blinked, the confusion in his eyes giving him an air of innocence despite the slight challenge to his voice. "It's a reasonable question."

"Adrian, dear," Camilla said, bringing her napkin up to dab at the corners of her mouth, "let's not make our guest uncomfortable." Tilting her head, she gave him a placating smile.

"I'm not making her uncomfortable," Adrian turned his gaze on Jasmine. "Am I, Jasmine?" He smiled at her, and although it seemed welcoming enough, something about it left her on edge, making her feel like she needed to salute the man.

 _Yes. Jesus Christ, yes._

Using her smile as armor—both to protect herself from the man's scrutiny and her heart—Jasmine sat her fork and knife down on the edge of her plate and wrapped her fingers around the stem of her wine glass. "Not at all." She lifted her wine glass, taking a sip before gently clearing her throat. "I have no family left, sir."

Silence lingered for several long seconds, no one at the table even so much as scraping their forks across their plates. All eyes were on her, and she fought like hell to keep her emotions under control.

"Oh, my dear, I'm so sorry to hear," Camilla said, voice dripping with unwelcomed pity.

"Thank you." Jasmine brought her wine glass to her lips again, taking a small sip despite wanting to drain the glass, refill it, and drain it again.

Adrian cleared his throat, lowering his gaze just enough he no longer looked into her eyes. "Forgive me. I didn't mean to cause any offense."

She set her wine glass down, picking up her fork and knife, turning her attention back to her plate. "There's no need to apologize."

Things were relatively quiet for a couple more minutes, only the sounds of eating to fill the air. Then, Annabelle asked, "Where are you from?"

"Oh, um," Jasmine said, biting back the ingrained urge to lie, "I was born in Corpus Christi, Texas, but I've traveled around quite a bit."

* * *

Somehow, Camilla managed to convince Isaac it'd be a good idea for them to spend a couple of days at the Winter residence. His other sister and her fiancé were coming by to see Isaac the next day, and Annabelle just _had_ to have Isaac meet her new girlfriend, but Evie couldn't come by until the day after next. Jasmine didn't exactly feel thrilled about it, but she admitted the Winter family did seem pretty nice, all things considered. It wasn't their fault she felt like a fish out of water in their presence.

Camilla told her to make herself at home, and Isaac went off somewhere to talk to his father, so she decided to look around a little. Maybe she'd relax once she knew where all the exits were located. All the hiding spots. So far, she'd found four exits on the ground floors, not counting the plethora of windows. Damn near every room she entered held at least one closet, many had two. She'd found a couple of crawl spaces as well. She hadn't even made her way to the second floor yet, let alone the third.

She stopped, glancing around her when she heard Isaac's muffled voice coming from behind closed, double doors. No one else was around, so she made her way a little closer, head cocked to the side as she strained to listen. But then, guilt washed over her, weighing heavily on her shoulders and making her face flush. Was she seriously spying on Isaac? He'd given her no reason to mistrust him, in fact, quite the opposite. She shouldn't be invading his privacy.

She turned on her heel, just about to walk away when the door opened. Spinning around, she found herself face to face with a tear-stained Isaac. Her breath caught in her throat, stomach twisting into knots, chest tightening. She stared at him wide-eyed for a moment, instinctively taking a step closer to her friend, reaching her hand out to him. "Isaac … what's wrong?"

He stopped in his tracks the moment he saw her, lips parted but nothing coming out. Lifting a hand to his face, he wiped at his eyes, visibly fighting to pull himself together. "Sunshine," he said, glancing back at the opened door.

Feeling dazed and confused, she followed his gaze. Adrian stood inside what appeared to be a study, his back to the door, drink in hand. The tense set of his shoulders told Jasmine whatever upset Isaac, bothered Adrian, too. Turning around, Isaac slid the study doors closed before facing her again.

Pulling a smile on his face, he wiped his eyes again and draped his arm over her shoulders, turning her around. "How long were you out here?"

"A few seconds," she said, scraping her teeth over her lip and looking up at him, "just long enough to make out your voice but not what you were saying."

"Good." He took a deep breath, letting it seep back out of him. "It's nothing you need to concern yourself with. Just old family crap that never seems to end," he said, leading her down the hall.

She wrapped her arm around his waist. "Isaac … you get you're not _just_ my handler, right? I consider you a friend, too. Maybe it's not professional, but considering the crap we're getting ourselves into …."

"Yeah." He bobbed his head, lifting his forearm to rest his hand on her head, pulling her in against him. "Nothing says we can't be friends, and I wouldn't have it any other way. You should know that about me by now."

"I do … which is why _you_ should know by now _I'm_ not going to ignore a friend who's hurting. I'm not saying you _have_ to tell me what's going on," she said, softening her voice, "but I'd like for you to."

Slowing his steps, he looked down at her, expression giving nothing away as he searched her face. Without a word, he turned her to the right down another hall, leading her back toward the guest room she'd been given for their stay. She let him guide her without comment, waiting to see if he intended to take her up on the offer or not; as they said, the ball was in his court.

Reaching her room, he dropped his arm from her and opened her door, nodding his head inside. She stepped in, and he followed her, closing the door behind them. Moving to the bed, she sat down on the edge and watched him pace. After a minute, he grabbed a wicker chair and pulled it over, setting it down in front of her and taking a seat.

Leaning forward, he rested his elbows on his knees and threaded his fingers together. "This is new for me. I'm used to getting others to talk to me, not so much talking to others." He waggled his head back and forth a little. "At least not about the really personal stuff." Sighing, he rubbed his hand over his face and glanced at the floor. "But … maybe it'll help. If nothing else, getting an outside opinion would be nice. Especially from someone who lives the same life I do." He looked up at her, seeming to wait for her to give him some response.

She tilted her head a little and nodded. "Sure. I'm listening, tell me what's going on."

He licked his lips, nodding and rubbing his hand over his face again. "My dad wants me to get married and have children, you know, carry on the family name. He doesn't care I'm gay, it's not like that … he knows there are other ways for me to have kids. But he doesn't get I'm devoted to my career, and I can't raise kids while doing this kind of work." He turned his hands palm out, gaze searching hers, an almost desperate quality to the movements of his eyes. "I just can't. Besides, I don't even have time for a real relationship, let alone a marriage. You know? He doesn't get it, though. Or care. I'm not sure which. All he can see is that I'm his only son, and it's my duty to carry on the family name. It's all he cares about, the goddamned family name."

 _Ah. Well, I guess that answers my question about why you don't like using your last name._

Scooting a little closer, she held a hand out to him, grinning at his exasperated huff and chuckle as he shook his head and slapped his palm down on hers. She closed her fingers around his hand and squeezed. "Let me ask you a question: your job aside, do _you_ want to be married and have children?"

He looked down at their hands, brows furrowed. Letting the silence stretch for a few seconds first, he said, "You know … no one's ever bothered to ask me that before." Meeting her gaze again, he took a deep breath. "I think … I think there's a part of me that does, but I love my job, Jasmine. I love the Phantoms under my charge. You guys are like family to me. I can't see walking away from you guys any more than I can see putting a kid in danger by bringing them into this world."

"Have you explained it to your father like this?" She raised an eyebrow, squeezing his hand again.

"I—shit." He dropped his head, letting it hang between his shoulders. "No, I guess I haven't. Not exactly." Looking back up again, he met her gaze, a spark of hope dancing in his eyes. "Do you think it'd really make a difference?"

She lifted her shoulders a little. "I don't know, but the better question is, do you think it'll make it worse? If not, then what do you have to lose?"

He stared at her for a moment, a soft smile spreading across his face. Dropping her hand, he stood up and leaned over, kissing the top of her head. "Thanks, Sunshine."

She didn't really think she'd done much to help, but he definitely seemed more composed, his shoulders a lot less tense as he left her room, closing the door behind him.

* * *

Rachel looked like a younger version of her mother, every bit as elegant and beautiful. She wore her hair twisted back on top of her head, and an _actual_ pearl necklace complemented her sedate, yet sleek, pants suit. Jasmine couldn't help but smirk as she watched Rachel and Annabelle hug, the two women contrasting in their 'refinement' and 'style'. Annabelle wasn't unrefined, by any means, but she seemed to prefer tight blue jeans and cute little tennis shoes with her colorful blouses. The only jewelry Jasmine saw her wear so far was a pair of gold hoop earrings, and she let her hair trail down her back in a loose braid. It really wasn't hard for Jasmine to see why she reminded Isaac of Annabelle.

Letting go of Annabelle, Rachel turned, a lovely smile on her face and opened her arms to Isaac. "It's so good to see you."

Grinning, he stepped into her embrace, kissing her on the cheek. "You, too. You're looking really good, Rachel." He glanced at the man lingering in the background, hands in his pockets. "So, what's this I hear about a fiancé?"

Rachel let out a light, musical laugh and turned toward the man who must be Delmar. "Darling, come meet my brother." She stepped back, wrapping her arm around the man's waist when he moved closer. "Delmar, this is Isaac. Isaac, this is my fiancé, Delmar Jackson."

Delmar held out his free hand, shaking Isaac's. "It's nice to finally meet you. Rachel speaks highly of you."

"Does she now?" Isaac chuckled. "It's nice to meet you, too."

"Oh yes," Delmar said, letting his hand drop back to his side before slipping it into his pocket. "And she tells me you're in the Alliance?"

Bobbing his head, Isaac loosely crossed his arms. "That's right." He turned to look at Jasmine, jerking his head toward his sister. "Let me introduce the two of you to a friend of mine. This is Jasmine, we work together."

Smiling, Jasmine stepped forward and held her hand out to Rachel. "Hello, it's nice to meet you." She shifted to shake Delmar's hand when Rachel let it go. "And you, as well."

"And now that everybody knows everybody else," Annabelle said, a grin on her face, "we should go or we're going to miss our reservation."

Jasmine sincerely hoped whatever place the Winter family planned for lunch didn't turn out to be super expensive. After paying Avalina's fees, credits were tight. Ushered out of the house, she tried to remember her account balance, not wanting to be obvious and check it ahead of time.

"You two should ride with me," Annabelle said, nudging her brother.

Isaac looked down at Jasmine, and she shrugged. Turning his attention back to his sister, he bobbed his head. "Alright, but if you crash and we die, I'll haunt you."

Annabelle laughed, stepping away from them. "I'll bring my skycar around."

"Stop thinking about credits, Sunshine," Isaac whispered, leaning down closer to her. "They'll be paying, and if you refuse, they'll take it as an insult."

She huffed, glancing up at him. "I wasn't thinking about credits."

Smirking, he shook his head. "Liar."

"Shut up." She rolled her eyes but let a smile grace her lips.

He chuckled but didn't say anything else. A moment later, Annabelle returned and the doors to her skycar opened. Jasmine insisted Isaac sit up front with his sister and climbed in the back. She listened to them laugh and joke, reminiscing about Annabelle's childhood as they made their way to the restaurant. It gave her a bittersweet feeling; she loved hearing Isaac sound so happy, but it reminded her so much of all the things she never really had.

It took them about twenty minutes to get to the restaurant, a place called _A Taste of France_. A relief of the Paris skyline, including the Eiffel Tower, decorated the sandstone building. Guys in tuxedos manned the doors, holding them open for finely dressed guests. Jasmine sucked in a deep breath and climbed out of the skycar when Annabelle stopped. A valet slid into the driver's seat once everyone got out, closing the doors and lifting the skycar back into the air.

A moment later, Adrian and Camilla arrived, Rachel and Delmar a few seconds behind them. Annabelle slipped her arm through Isaac's, and he crooked his other elbow out to Jasmine. She chuckled, looping her arm around his, the gesture somehow helping her to relax. He grinned down at her and led them inside.

The place looked damn nice inside, chandeliers hanging down over white tablecloth covered tables. Fancy art with a French theme covered the walls, and a fountain filled the floor in the center of the building. Again, not the most impressive place she'd ever seen, but there was something especially discomforting about going in there as herself. She also felt fairly certain the Winters could afford to frequent someplace a hell of a lot fancier if they'd wanted. It made her wonder if they'd chosen something more downscale for her sake. Her grip on Isaac must've tightened, because he shifted his arm a hair, drawing her in a little closer.

Adrian stepped forward, clearing the reservations with the hostess, and they were lead to their table. Isaac pulled the chair out for her, earning him a raised eyebrow, but he just smirked and waited for her to take the seat before doing the same for Annabelle. Jasmine glanced around and realized Delmar held a chair out for Rachel, and Adrian did the same for Camilla. It made Isaac's behavior make a hell of a lot more sense.

There was just no way she'd survive lunch without wrapping herself in an alias mindset. It'd be a delicate balance, thinking like Ariel Masters—millionaire heiress to Masters Enterprise, a corporation which designed drive cores for civilian ships and the alias Jasmine used to assassinate Mitchell Hassam—but responding as Jasmine Shepard; a former street rat, recovered drug addict, and the subordinate of one Isaac Winter.

Feeling Ariel roll over her, Jasmine's spine stiffened a little, shoulders rolling back, chin tilted up a hair. She belonged in _A Taste of France_ and places with far more class. She _deserved_ to have her chair pulled out for her, and be waited on by men in tuxes with French accents. She wouldn't even look at the prices in the menu, they were below her notice, regardless of who planned to pay.

"How long have you served in the Alliance, Jasmine?" Rachel asked, picking up her menu but keeping her gaze on Jasmine.

"Nearly eight years. I joined a little after my eighteenth birthday." Jasmine picked up her own menu, flipping it open, but held Rachel's gaze, waiting for her to either choose to continue the conversation or let it end.

"Oh, so does that mean you just had a birthday or one coming up?" Annabelle asked, drawing Jasmine's attention to her.

Nodding, Jasmine said, "One coming up, April eleventh."

"That's only a couple of months away!" Annabelle grinned, a sparkle in her eyes. "Happy early birthday!"

Jasmine smiled, letting out a soft chuckle. "Thanks, Annabelle."

* * *

The music thumped loud enough she felt it in her bones. Blue, red, and purple lights flashed and swirled around the dance floor. Alcohol flooded her system, dulling her senses and putting her at ease. She glanced to her left, spotting Isaac dancing with another man, hands on the stranger's hips as he pulled him in closer. Lifting his arms up, the man draped his wrists over Isaac's shoulders, a seductive smile curving his lips. He looked cute, lean like Isaac, but not quite as tall. The electric blue streaks in his black hair really complemented his olive complexion.

Annabelle appeared in front of Jasmine, lips moving, but Jasmine couldn't hear her over the bass. Jasmine shook her head, cupping her hand around her ear. Annabelle grinned, moving closer and settling her hands on Jasmine's shoulders, the unexpected contact making her tense a little.

Leaning in, Annabelle put her mouth next to Jasmine's ear. "Do you want to dance?"

Turning her head enough for the other woman to hear her, Jasmine responded, "Sure, but I'm recovering from gunshot wounds so I may not be able to stay out there for long."

Pulling back enough to meet Jasmine's gaze, Annabelle raised her eyebrows. "Oh my God. Really?"

Reaching up, Jasmine turned back her collar, letting Isaac's sister see the healing scar on her shoulder before reaching down and tapping her side, too. "Got hit twice. Your brother's been taking care of me while I get back on my feet."

"Damn." Suddenly looking doubtful, Annabelle lifted her eyebrows. "Well, do you think you can handle it?"

Grinning, Jasmine nodded and took Annabelle's hand when she stepped back and held it out to her. "For a little bit at least." She stood up, letting the younger woman lead her out onto the dance floor and started moving to the beat of the music. She kept it simple to avoid aggravating her injuries and glanced around before turning her attention back to Annabelle. "Where's Evie?" She'd barely seen Annabelle's girlfriend since they arrived at _Seattle Spin_.

Tilting her head toward the back of the nightclub, Annabelle said, "She's in the back talking to a friend of hers."

Jasmine glanced in the direction Annabelle indicated, but the room was too dark, the back cast in shadows. So, she just nodded in response and focused her attention on the woman in front of her. The incredibly _attractive_ woman in front her, hands sliding along her thighs before lifting in the air above her head, hips jerking from side to side ….

 _Oh, hell no. She's Isaac's sister, and you're with Thane. And, she's with Evie. Down girl._

Tearing her gaze from Annabelle, she glanced around again, spotting Isaac still dancing with the same guy, but watching her and Annabelle with a grin on his face. She smiled, flashing her teeth at him before nodding toward the guy hanging off of him and giving him an approving nod and waggle of her eyebrows. She couldn't hear his laugh, but she saw it in the shake of his shoulders, his head tipping back a little.

She lasted longer on the dance floor than she'd expected, and she really hoped it didn't mean she'd be paying the price for it the next day. The dull throbbing in her shoulder and abdomen told her it was time to stop, though, so she leaned in closer so Annabelle could hear her easier. "I think that's all I've got in me. I've got to use the restroom anyway."

Annabelle smiled and nodded her head, still dancing as Jasmine walked off the dance floor. She made her way to the back of the club, the shapes in the shadows becoming more visible as she made her way closer. Then, she stopped in her tracks, the fog of alcohol suddenly disappearing as her gaze zeroed in on the lines of red sand spread out on a mirror sitting on a table. Her mouth watered, fingers trembling, and she almost felt the burn in her sinuses … almost felt the biotic flames licking at her skin. Her heart pounded against her sternum, sweat beading on her brow.

 _Fuck._

A man leaned forward, bringing a straw to his nose, sucking up a line before throwing his head back in obvious ecstasy. She licked her lips again, suddenly realizing she'd moved closer to the table without ever really meaning to. A blond-haired woman, with skin pale enough she looked dead as the flashing lights washed over her, took the straw from him and leaned in toward the mirror. The movement brought her face into sharper focus for Jasmine, and she narrowed her eyes as the woman snorted the next line of red sand.

 _Evie?_

"You've got to be fucking kidding me." Stomach rolling, Jasmine turned on her heels and made her way back through the crowd. She stopped next to Isaac, tugging on his sleeve, ignoring the sudden spark of alarm in his eyes as he turned his head to her intrusion into his personal space. "We need to talk. Outside. Now," she yelled, making damn sure he heard her over the music.

Eyebrows tugging down, he glanced around the nightclub, whether looking for a threat or his sister she wasn't sure. Pursing his lips, he looked back at her and nodded before leaning in to say something into the ear of the hot guy he danced with—the man glaring at her like she must be the biggest bitch on the planet for interrupting them. She didn't care, and she didn't wait, turning and walking away. Slipping through the crowd, she reached the door and stepped outside.

She sucked in a deep, shaky breath, catching the scent of tobacco in the cool, night air. Looking around, she spotted two men standing a couple of meters away, smoking cigarettes. "Excuse me? Can I bum one of those?"

"Sure." One of the guys broke away, meeting her halfway and pulling out a pack of cigarettes. He handed one to her and then lit it before sliding the pack back into his pocket. "You alright? You kind of look like you just saw a ghost."

She forced a smile on her face. "Yeah, I'm—"

"Sunshine?"

She glanced over her shoulder, seeing Isaac stepping out onto the sidewalk. Turning her attention back to the guy, she smiled again. "Thanks for the smoke."

She left him to return to his boyfriend—or whatever their relationship—and made her way back to Isaac, taking a heavy drag from the cigarette, hoping it'd still her nerves. Christ, it tasted like shit, hot and acrid, burning her throat and mouth. It smelled terrible, too. Why did she ever think smoking was an attractive thing to do? But, she'd smoked like crazy making her way through withdrawal from red sand, and it really did help chase away her jitters.

Isaac narrowed his eyes at the cigarette but didn't comment. "What's wrong?"

"Walk with me," she said, after a glance back over her shoulder at the couple within earshot. She waited until they were a couple more meters away before talking again. "There are people using red sand in the back of the club." She glanced up at him when his hand landed on her good shoulder, pulling her to a halt.

"Please tell me you didn't use," he said, voice low, serious and concerned but not judgmental.

She sighed, taking another drag. "No … but Evie is."

He stared at her, eyes blank as he seemed to struggle to process what she just said. After a moment, he rubbed his hand over his face before tilting his head back to look up at the night sky. Letting out a long, weary sigh, he turned his gaze back to her. "Are you sure?"

She nodded, taking another drag. "Yeah."

"Damn it." He turned around, taking two steps toward the door before looking back over his shoulder at her. "Wait out here."

"Yeah." She pinched the bridge of her nose and nodded again, turning to lean against the wall. She took one more drag before grinding the cigarette out under her heel and watched Isaac disappear inside. Knowing things were about to get real ugly between Isaac and Annabelle, she tilted her head back against the wall to look up at the stars. "Fuck."


	57. Before Marching Into Battle

**Before Marching Into Battle**

Jasmine sat on the edge of the couch, hands trapped between her knees, ready to jump up and take her leave as soon as Isaac or his parents gave her the green light. In the meantime, she willed herself to be invisible. It definitely wasn't working, though, as Annabelle sat in the chair opposite of her, arms crossed and staring daggers at Jasmine. She wished her tactical cloak worked for more than a few seconds at a time. Adrian and Camilla sat in chairs perpendicular to Annabelle, and everyone seemed to be waiting for them to speak. Isaac sat on the couch next to Jasmine, a tightly wound ball of _pissed-the-fuck-off_.

He'd damned near dragged both women out of the nightclub before putting Evie in a cab and telling her to go home. Then, he stared down his little sister, right there on the sidewalk, and had it out with her before telling her to 'get in the goddamned skycar'. Apparently, Evie's recreational drug use didn't come as a surprise to Annabelle, and in fact, she'd admitted to using herself from time to time. She'd said she didn't see what the big deal was and accused Isaac of overreacting. Jasmine found much better luck being invisible in the backseat of a dark skycar as Isaac took them back to his parent's house.

"I've never been more disappointed in you in your entire life than I am right now." Adrian lifted a leg, resting an ankle on the opposite knee as he shook his head.

Jasmine fought back a wince, thinking Adrian's words were a little harsh. Then again, she supposed if using drugs on occasion was the worst thing Annabelle ever did, then Annabelle was more or less a saint.

"Adrian," Camilla said, tone filled with an icy warning.

Annabelle narrowed her eyes at her father. "I'm an adult, Daddy, and it's my body to do with as I please." Nevermind the fact—apparently—she just called the man 'Daddy' and still lived at home with her parents.

Adrian didn't take the bait, he just stared at her, gaze like tempered steel. "Did you use drugs tonight?"

Scoffing and rolling her eyes, Annabelle said, "No."

"Annabelle." His voice sounded as hard as stone but far less forgiving.

"I didn't!" She threw her hands up in the air before smacking them down against the arms of the chair. "Evie asked if I wanted to, and I told her not with Isaac around. So, she went off on her own." Crossing her arms again, she let out a loud sigh. "I don't even do it that often, anyway."

Silence filled the air for a few seconds, and then he shook his head and looked away from his daughter. "This is why your grades dropped, isn't it?"

She didn't say anything, just clenched her jaw and glared at her father. It seemed a little like watching two skycars flying toward each other head-on at top speed. Jasmine knew if one of them didn't change course soon, it'd end in a spectacular crash … yet she couldn't look away.

After a couple of really long, incredibly tense minutes, Camilla broke the standoff when she looked at her daughter and said, "Please go to your room. We'll finish discussing this in the morning."

Huffing, Annabelle stood up and left the sitting room. Silence thickened the air for several, long minutes, none of the Winters making eye contact. Jasmine found herself in territory she didn't fully understand, and it made her itch, skin crawling with invisible insects swarming over her body. Then again … if she were completely honest with herself, some of it came from the demons whispering away in the back of her head, telling her there was nothing keeping her from going back to the nightclub. A line or two wouldn't kill her; she'd be fine. Stronger now, it wouldn't have to consume her again.

"You saw Evie using red sand?" Adrian asked, meeting Jasmine's gaze.

She licked her lips, trying to work up some moisture in the desert of her mouth, and fought the urge to look to Isaac for guidance. "Yes, sir."

"Did you see Annabelle, too?" Adrian asked, lips pressing tighter into a frown.

"No." She shook her head. "Annabelle and I were dancing together. I left her to use the restroom, and that's when I saw Evie. I turned around and found Isaac to tell him."

Adrian nodded and rubbed a hand over his face before scratching at the stubble along his jaw. "Thank you, Jasmine, for looking out for my daughter and not involving the police. I assure you, this will be handled within the family."

"You're welcome, sir." She wondered exactly what 'within the family' might entail, but she suspected it'd involve cutting Annabelle off financially or maybe sticking her in rehab. Truth be told, Jasmine kind of felt like shit for narking on Annabelle, but she didn't feel like she could just _not_ tell Isaac. And really, she'd needed to get the fuck out of the nightclub once she'd laid eyes on red sand. Hell, she hadn't even taken the time to actually use the restroom.

Isaac let out a loud, heavy breath. "I think we should head out tonight, Pops."

"Nonsense!" Camilla said, pressing her palm to her chest. "There's no need for you to rush off over Annabelle's behavior."

"No, I think he's right." Adrian turned his head to look at Isaac, and Jasmine thought something unspoken passed between father and son. "The man has a job to do, and so does Jasmine. We've already kept them here longer than they intended to stay." He glanced between his wife and Jasmine. "Besides, no offense to you, and I do appreciate your intervention, but this is a matter best dealt with by family."

Jasmine held up a hand, more than happy to avoid whatever drama happened next for Annabelle. "No offense taken, I understand completely."

Isaac stood, moving toward his parents. "I'm sorry, Momma."

Camilla sighed and pushed herself to her feet. She held out her arms, pulling Isaac in when he hugged her. "Oh, it's alright, dear. Call your mother more often, won't you?"

"I will, as often as I can." Leaning down further, he kissed his mother's cheek.

She patted the side of his face and let out a sad sounding sigh. "I know your sister's angry right now, but you should tell her goodbye before you leave."

"I'll go talk to her now." He pulled away from his mother, glancing over his shoulder at Jasmine. "Go gather your things, Sunshine."

* * *

"Isaac." Jasmine swallowed, glancing at his silhouette out of the corner of her damp eyes. She'd thought putting a little distance between herself and _Seattle Spin_ would take the edge off her cravings, but they were only getting worse as her mind shifted back to thoughts of Cerberus and the risks she'd be taking to see it through. "I think I need to go to Santa Fe," she said, voice soft.

"Where do you think we're headed?" He turned his head to look at her before reaching over and patting her knee. "Did you really think I'd take you with me to see my family before marching into battle without taking you to see yours, too? I figured I'd get you into Santa Fe, and if you don't want me to be there with you, then I can hang out somewhere else while you visit. Take a day or two with your people."

Sniffling, she wiped her eyes. "It's not just—Geoffrey …" She swallowed, taking a deep breath. "… Geoffrey's wife, Karin, helped me get clean. I'm struggling right now, with everything that's been going on. Normally, when I feel like this, I call her, but I figured since we're on Earth … and yeah, I'd really like to see them again before things get even uglier."

Nodding, he turned his attention back to navigating their shuttle. "We'll be in Santa Fe in a few hours."

"I want you to go with me to meet them." She swallowed against the knot in her throat. A part of her felt horrified by the idea, but she knew she really did want him there. She cared about Isaac, and he'd trusted her enough to take her to Seattle, the least she could do was offer him the same courtesy. "If you're comfortable with it."

"You sure?" He glanced at her again, but she couldn't make out his expression.

"Yeah." She nodded.

He bobbed his head. "Then yeah, I'm comfortable with it."

* * *

Jasmine stopped in front of the door, taking a deep breath and glancing over her shoulder. Isaac didn't say anything, just waited patiently. The first rays of sunlight just barely peeked over the horizon, not even really enough to call twilight, but she knew Karin and Geoffrey would both be up, even with it being the weekend. She lifted her hand and knocked. She kept the code to their lock, but she'd made it clear to them she just didn't feel comfortable walking into their home unannounced. She'd butted heads with them a few times over it, but eventually, both Karin and Geoffrey let it go. Face lighting up the moment he answered the door, Geoffrey didn't even say hello, he just pulled her into a bear hug.

She hissed, patting his back. "Still healing, Geoffrey."

"Oh, right." He let her go, holding her at arm's length, a grin on his face. "Sorry, I forgot. It's good to see you on your feet, kiddo." Glancing past her, he let her go and held a hand out to Isaac. "Hello. Geoffrey Williams."

"Isaac Winter." Giving Geoffrey a curt nod, Isaac shook his hand.

"My new handler," Jasmine said softly, making sure her voice didn't carry into the house.

"I see." Geoffrey stepped back and turned sideways, holding his hand out to usher them inside. "What do you plan to tell Karin and the kids?"

"He's my boss," she said before she glanced at Isaac and smiled, "and my friend."

Geoffrey nodded as she stepped inside, Isaac right behind her. "Do you need the gun safe?"

"Yeah." She held up her sniper rifle case. "We both do."

She'd told Isaac about the house rules on the way. If being disarmed bothered him, she couldn't tell. With kids in the house, the rules were the rules, though, and he said he completely understood. Of course, neither of them felt comfortable leaving their weapons in the shuttle.

Geoffrey stopped in front of the study and unlocked the door before turning back to Jasmine. "I'll go let Karin know you're here. Have you two eaten? You know she's going to want to feed you." He chuckled, the sound soft and full of love for his wife.

"Oh my God, coffee and breakfast sound great," she said with a toothy smile. "We've been in the shuttle for hours, barely slept at all."

He nodded, patting her gently on her left shoulder. "Good. Come into the kitchen when you're done."

"Okay." She nodded her head toward the study when Geoffrey walked away.

Isaac followed her inside, and she opened the safe. They both unloaded their weapons, closing and locking the safe behind them. She lingered there a moment, giving Isaac the chance to scan the room, wanting him to feel as comfortable as possible.

"You good," she asked, raising her eyebrow.

He smiled and bobbed his head. "I'm good. Are you good?"

"Yeah." She grinned, leading him back out of Geoffrey's study and locked the door behind them. "I'm good."

By the time they got to the kitchen, Karin stood at the stove, sausage and eggs already sizzling in a pan. She glanced over her shoulder and grinned before stepping away. She held her arms out, and Jasmine crossed the floor to hug her. Kissing Jasmine on the cheek, she said, "Rift will be so thrilled to see you. I'm so glad you're here."

Jasmine returned the kiss, squeezing Karin a little as she rubbed the woman's back and asked, "The kids all still asleep?"

"Yes, but you can go wake them up if you want. I doubt they'll mind too awfully much." Karin snorted softly and pulled back to meet Jasmine's gaze. "And even if they do, they'll get over it. They don't get to see you very often."

"Actually … I kind of hoped after we eat," Jasmine said, scraping her teeth over her lip, "you and I might have some time to talk alone?"

Understanding flashed in Karin's eyes, and she nodded. "Of course. Now tell me all about this handsome man you brought home."

Jasmine snorted. "He's my boss." Cocking an eyebrow, she added, "And he's gay, so get the thought out of your head. We're not together."

"Oh, I've already heard _all_ about 'the hot drell Jasmine hooked up with' from Jessica." Karin chuckled, winking at Jasmine before letting go of her to look over her shoulder. "Hello, I'm Karin, Geoffrey's wife. He said your name is Isaac?"

Stepping forward, Isaac shook Karin's hand. "Yes, ma'am."

Geoffrey snorted, and Jasmine grinned. He shook his head, looking up at Isaac. "I wouldn't call her that if I were you. Have a seat. Do you drink coffee?"

Pulling out a chair, Isaac bobbed his head. "I do."

"Jasmine, you don't want any, right? Quit drinking the stuff?" Geoffrey winked at her as he stood from the table.

She scoffed and raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms and cocking her hip out to the side. "Pour the coffee and nobody gets hurt."

Geoffrey grinned at her and made his way to the cabinet, pulling down two mugs and filling them with coffee—real, fresh, delicious smelling coffee. Bringing them over to the table, he sat one down in front of Isaac and handed the other to Jasmine. "You gonna sit down, kid?"

She shook her head. "I'm feeling a little stiff after the long shuttle ride." Bringing the cup to her face, she inhaled deeply, letting out a soft moan.

* * *

Karin settled into the armchair, holding a cup of coffee between her hands. She didn't say anything, just watched as Jasmine got comfortable. It didn't bother Jasmine, she knew the routine. Pulling her legs up, she braced the heels of her feet against the edge of the chair and took a sip of her coffee. Karin once told her pulling her legs up like that was Jasmine's way of putting up a barrier, a protective wall between herself and the rest of the world. She told herself it was just comfortable, but a part of her knew Karin was right, just like she knew a few minutes into the conversation, she'd put her feet back on the floor.

Taking a deep breath, Jasmine met Karin's gaze. "Things have been pretty stressful lately. There's a lot going on with work, shit I wish I could talk about, but you know." Shrugging a little, she picked at the edge of her mug. "And getting shot. Last night I was in a nightclub with some people I know. I went to go to the bathroom and saw some people using red sand. Just right there, out in the open at one of the tables." She licked her lips and took a long swallow from her cup.

Karin waited her out, letting the silence linger. It was a tactic Jasmine was familiar with, both through her counseling with Karin and with her work. She used it herself often enough to get people to keep talking, playing on the inexplicable urge of people to fill a silence.

"I guess really the last year or so has been especially … trying. This isn't the first time I've come face to face with red sand lately. I didn't use, either time. But it seems like when the cravings are coming lately, they're getting to be harder and harder to push away again." She took a deep breath and stared down at her reflection in the coffee. Even after all the time she'd known Karin and relied on Karin to help her through her addiction issues, she still felt ashamed telling Karin about her weaknesses. "Last night, after we left, it's like a part of me kept trying to talk myself into going back. I kept thinking that using once wouldn't necessarily mean I'd fall right back into using all the time."

"What kept you from going back?" Karin asked, voice soft and unobtrusive, almost like a whisper in the back of Jasmine's mind.

Sighing, Jasmine thought back to the night before, brow furrowed. What _did_ keep her from going back? She knew a part of her didn't want to disappoint the people she cared about, but something told her that wasn't the answer. "I … I didn't want to disappoint myself," she said, looking back up at Karin.

Karin offered her a soft smile, eyes sparkling with her approval. "How does it feel to avoid using because you don't want to disappoint yourself?"

Jasmine stayed quiet for a moment and then said, "I don't know." After a minute more of silence, she added, "It feels … like I'm trying to take responsibility for myself and my own actions."

"Mhmm. And that's a good thing, good _thoughts_ , but how does it _feel_?"

"Scary." Jasmine swallowed against the knot in her throat, blinking away the sting to her eyes.

"Scary," Karin repeated.

Nodding, Jasmine licked her lips. "Because … what if that's not enough? Fuck. It wouldn't be the first time I let myself down." Tears welled up in her eyes, spilling down over her cheeks, and she sniffed, swiping the tears away.

Karin cocked an eyebrow. "Who says it _has_ to be enough?"

Rampant thoughts skidded to a stop in Jasmine's head, and she stared at Karin for a moment, at a loss for words.

Setting her cup down on the table, Karin moved to the edge of her seat and leaned a little closer. "I've counseled hundreds of people struggling with addiction, and do you want to know one of the biggest lessons I've learned over the course of my career?" She raised an eyebrow.

"What?" Jasmine asked, sniffing again and settling her feet back on the floor, barely conscious of the fact as she leaned forward, too.

"The key to successfully recovering from addiction starts first and foremost with a _desire_ to recover from addiction, but almost no one ever does it alone. A support system is vital. Knowing your triggers, knowing your limits, and having a plan in place are all very important components to recovery." Reaching across, Karin held out her hand and squeezed Jasmine's fingers when Jasmine closed the distance and gave Karin her hand."You're not in this alone, Jasmine."

* * *

"Hello, Father." Kolyat's face lit up.

The sight eased the ache in Thane's chest, and he smiled. "Hello, my son. How are you?"

"I am well." Kolyat walked down the hall and into his room, closing the door behind him before plopping down on his bed. "I hope you are, also."

"I am. How are your studies going?" Picking up his cup of _cinuela_ , Thane took a sip before setting it back on the table.

After completing his last contract, he decided to return to the Citadel while he waited to hear from Jasmine since he didn't have anything else already lined up. Granted, if he wished to find work, he could easily do so by reaching out to his contacts. For the time being, however, he decided to wait for someone to seek out his services instead of looking for a contract himself in case Jasmine needed his assistance. He didn't know for certain what Isaac planned in their investigation into Cerberus, and it left him apprehensive, concerned for her safety.

"I received perfect marks this week," Kolyat said without inflection, a simple statement made as a matter of course.

"Fantastic, Kolyat." Thane smiled, still in awe of his son every time he looked at him. The fact he'd ever managed to convince himself that his complete absence was best for Kolyat baffled him. "I'm proud to see you applying yourself so diligently."

"Thank you." Frills darkening, Kolyat smiled and pulled himself up a little straighter. "I wonder how Jasmine is doing."

"We are not together right now," Thane said, responding to the unspoken request to invite Jasmine into the conversation. "She was required elsewhere for work, but I intend to call her tonight. The last I spoke to her, she appeared well. I'm sure she'll be pleased to know you are thinking of her." He picked up his cup and smiled, the last remnants of his battle sleep slipping away as he talked to his son. "She asks about you often, as well."

"I am happy she has forgiven me for my earlier behavior." Kolyat smirked, tipping his head to the side a little. "Uncle Drali said humans often like to hold grudges."

Thane chuckled, giving his son a light shake of his head. "I suppose some do, yes. Jasmine cares about you greatly, though, and she understands how painful the news of our relationship was for you."

"It is good you have Jasmine, and she has you." Sounding wise beyond his years, Kolyat nodded slowly. "I know this now, and I care about her, also."

Heart swelling with pride and love, Thane wished he could be there with his son just then, to embrace him and place a kiss atop his head. "This pleases me greatly to hear, Kolyat."

* * *

Jasmine laughed, finding herself sandwiched between Rift and Angela in a war for her attention. Literally. The two kids reached across her, shoving and pinching one another playfully, trying to get the other to relent and let them have Jasmine all to themselves. A sharp elbow dug into her side, just above her bullet wound and she sucked in a gasping breath.

"Ow, shit!" Hissing, she groaned, and Angela and Rift both froze, mortified and worried looks on their faces. "I mean crap," she amended, cradling her side and clenching her jaw as she sucked in a slow, deep breath.

"Careful, kids," Geoffrey called from his opened study. "I told you, you need to be gentle with her right now."

"I'm so sorry!" Angela's face contorted, flushing, and Jasmine thought she might be on the verge of tears.

Sucking in another steadying breath, Jasmine forced a smile on her face. She reached out, wrapping her arm around Angela's neck and pulling her in against her side. "Don't worry about it, accidents happen, and I'll be fine."

Rift settled in against her other side, movements slow and cautious. "How much longer will it hurt for?"

Watching Isaac disappear from the room, she shifted her other arm to wrap around Rift and tugged him closer, ruffling his hair. "What just happened? Probably not long, it's already starting to feel better." A lie, but one she felt completely comfortable telling. "In general? I'm not sure, I've never been shot before. It gets easier every day, though. I saw a doctor the other day, and she said I'm recovering really well."

"Were you scared when it happened?" Angela asked, tilting her head back to look at Jasmine.

"Terrified." Jasmine nodded. She'd thought she'd die, how could she not be scared? "Absolutely terrified."

"But you got the bad guy, right?" Rift asked.

"I sure did." She smirked, rubbing her hand over his head again, the texture of his hair feeling completely different after taking regular showers. It still brought her peace and joy knowing she'd helped Rift find a family, someone to love and take care of him, and obviously, he thrived living there. Yet, every time she thought about it, sadness crept in around the edges because there were still so many duct rats on the Citadel who she _didn't_ help.

Isaac came back in, carrying a glass of water and her bottle of halgraven, followed by Karin. Without a word, he held the water out to Jasmine. She pulled her arms free to take the water from him and held her other palm up as he opened the bottle. Karin sat down on the edge of a chair nearby, a wary look in her eyes as Jasmine popped the pills in her mouth. Jasmine met Isaac's gaze and then tilted her head slightly toward Karin.

He glanced at the woman before looking back at the bottle in his hand. Putting the cap back on, he sat it down on the table, discreetly turning the label to where Karin might see it without drawing questions from the kids. He took the glass back from Jasmine and put it next to the bottle.

Sitting back down again, he looked over and asked, "Is that you in the picture of the softball team, Angela?"

Sammy dropped the book she'd been looking at to her lap and groaned dramatically. " _Why_ did you have to ask her about softball?"

Jasmine laughed despite the stab of pain, and Isaac grinned. Glancing at Karin, Jasmine saw she wasn't paying attention to the girls, reading something on her omni-tool instead—no doubt looking up halgraven. Her concern didn't come as a surprise, especially just an hour after Jasmine unloaded on her about how close she'd come to using red sand the night before.

Angela squirmed, sitting upright. "Yes! And we won the high school regionals this year, which means we're going to the nationals! I'm so excited." She took a deep breath, waving a hand through the air. "Okay, so, we play fast pitch, and I'm the team's best pitcher, but Hannah—she's the second best—got pissed off because our coach didn't choose her to pitch for—"

"Ugh. _Oh my God_! Angela, he doesn't care about all of that." Sammy rolled her eyes. " _Nobody_ cares."

Face turning a bright shade of red, Angela balled her fists in her lap and glared at her sister. "Shut up, _Samantha_ , I wasn't even talking to you!"

"Don't call me that!" Sammy slammed her book closed, tossing it on the table as she lurched forward to the edge of her chair. "Mom!"

"Enough, girls. Angela, you know your sister prefers to be called Sammy." Karin closed her omni-tool, shifting her gaze to Sammy. "And Sammy, there is nothing wrong with Angela wanting to talk about her accomplishments. If you don't want to hear it, then don't listen. This is the family room, not your room, you don't get to police others' conversations in here."

* * *

"Fair warning, I'm surrounded by nosey children with innocent ears," Jasmine said the moment she appeared on Thane's omni-tool's screen.

He chuckled, hearing the familiar squeal of Rift's laughter in the background. "You've gone home for a visit?" He raised a brow ridge, wondering if it meant she'd introduced Isaac to her family. He wasn't entirely certain how he felt about the prospect.

Lips lifting slowly into a smile, she nodded. "Yeah. I came home for a visit."

It pleased him to see she'd come to accept they were, indeed, her family and their house her home. Their profession was often an isolating one, he understood the truth better than most others, perhaps. He didn't want to see her erecting barriers between herself and those who loved her as he did for so many years.

"Who's that?" a young, feminine voice asked.

"Oh my God, are you talking to Thane?" Another feminine voice, older, closer to adulthood.

That one familiar, it only took a couple of seconds for him to place a name to the voice. "Hello, Jessica."

A moment later, Jasmine flinched and laughed as bodies suddenly surrounded her, pressing in against her side, vying for a view of her screen. He recognized Jessica easily enough, Rift, too, of course. Judging by their levels of development, the girl on Jasmine's immediate right must've been Samantha, which made the other Angela.

"Sere Krios! Look, these are my other sisters. This is Angela and this is Sammy," the boy said, reaching across Jasmine to poke each of the girls in turn as he spoke.

"Rift, be careful!" Angela's arm darted out, forming a protective barrier across Jasmine's abdomen.

The boy winced. "Oh, sorry, I forgot," he said, glancing up at Jasmine just long enough to see her smile before turning his attention back to Thane. "And you remember Jessica." He gestured over his shoulder at the oldest girl with his thumb.

"Indeed." Thane dipped his head to Jessica. "It's good to see you again." Shifting, he met the gaze of the other two girls in turn. "Hello, Angela and Sammy. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Hello," said Angela.

Sammy smirked and waved. "Hi, Jasmine's _boyfriend_."

Jasmine snorted and shook her head, nudging Sammy with her elbow. Thane blinked and chuckled.

"Do you already know Jasmine's friend?" Rift asked, not giving Jasmine or Thane the opportunity to respond further to Sammy's snarky greeting.

"Yeah, he knows Isaac," Jasmine said when he hesitated to answer.

Initially overwhelmed to have so many faces in front of him, so many curious eyes scrutinizing him, Thane found he adjusted with unexpected ease.

"You've already met my mom and dad." Rift squirmed a little, a happy smile on his face. "And Lucky."

Thane chuckled again, amused and comforted by the child's delight. It brought him great joy to see how well Rift seemed with his new family, and it only made Thane love Jasmine all the more for making it possible for the boy. "Indeed, I have."

"Lucky's getting _huge_ ," Jasmine said, eyes widening.

"Dad said when Lucky is full grown, he'll be as big as I am now!" Rift's voice rose with his excitement. "Can you believe it?"

"That is quite large," Thane said, raising his brow ridges to feign being shocked and impressed by the declaration.

Jasmine let out a soft chuckle, nudging Sammy with an elbow. "Alright, you guys, tell Thane goodbye then get off of me so I can take the call in another room and have some privacy."

Thane smiled through the chorus of 'goodbyes' and dipped his head. "Goodbye."

Standing from the couch, she moved through the room, giving him glimpses of a vidscreen, miscellaneous furniture, and framed photographs decorating the walls. "Karin?" she said and then paused before adding, "Do you mind if I use your room to take a call?"

"Not at all," Karin said, her voice eliciting the memory of her face in Thane's mind. "Go right ahead, sweetheart."

"Thanks," Jasmine said, leaning in to kiss the woman on the cheek.

Karin's gaze flicked to the screen as Jasmine pulled away again. "Oh, hello, Sere Krios."

"Hello, Karin." He smiled, dipping his head to her before adding, "You may call me Thane if you wish." It seemed as if everyone there knew his name and used it freely, a fact which made him somewhat uneasy, but he thought it only fair considering she'd given her name to his family.

"Thane." The older woman smiled. "What a lovely name."

"My thanks." He dipped his head to her again.

Jasmine gave him a radiant grin, and it helped to soothe his concerns. Clearly, she trusted them completely, and it seemed to please her for him to extend the offer. After all, Karin was the closest thing to a mother remaining to Jasmine. Leaving Karin in what appeared to be the kitchen, Jasmine made her way down a dimly lit hall and into a bedroom before taking a seat in a chair near the window, weak sunlight filtering through the open blinds. He didn't think he'd called her so very late, but it seemed nearly dark. He thought about it for a second and realized it must be winter where she was, which meant the sun set far earlier than the rest of the year.

"Hey, gorgeous." She smiled, settling back. "I miss you."

He chuckled, amused, embarrassed, and flattered by her word choice all at once. "And I you, siha. Kolyat asked about you earlier today."

"Yeah?" She lifted an eyebrow, but her gaze seemed almost restless as it moved over his face.

He studied her as he spoke, noting the darkness beneath her eyes, realizing she must not have gotten much sleep the night before. "Indeed. He hopes you are well, and he's glad you have forgiven him. He said he's pleased you and I have one another, and he cares about you."

"Aw." Her wide grin brought a little life back into her eyes. "I care about him, too."

"Indeed. I told him as much." He watched her for a moment, wishing he could close the distance between them. Seeing her helped to untwist the knot he'd been carrying in his shoulders since fulfilling his contract against Sophia Alvarez, but he knew only being able to hold her close, breathe in her scent, and feel her warmth against him would truly put him at ease. "Were you able to locate your contact?"

"Yeah, and we learned some disturbing things." She glanced toward the door and took a deep breath before turning her attention back to him. "There is—or at least was—a Cerberus facility on a planet called Gellix in the Arrae System. They were performing all sorts of experiments on a variety of species." She shook her head. "I'm still processing, to be honest."

"I see. I'm pleased you found more information but regret such things happened at all. Will you be going to Gellix?" The thought of her intentionally going to look into a potential Cerberus facility frightened him. He knew she was more than capable of defending herself, but she was still injured, and Cerberus seemed intent on proving themselves to be an extremely dangerous enemy. It helped to know at least she wouldn't be going alone; Isaac would look after her.

"I don't know yet." She shook her head, covering her mouth with the back of her hand as she yawned. "Sorry. Isaac and I are still discussing it, but I'll let you know as soon as we figure it out."

"I know it needn't be said, but please be careful, siha." He held her gaze, studying the depths of her eyes. If anything ever happened to her … he couldn't even bring himself to consider the possibility.

"I will, I promise." She gave him a soft smile and then turned her head as if hearing something nearby. After a moment, she relaxed again and returned her attention to him. "Did your job go okay?"

"It did, though I also found a reason to be disturbed … my target … she bore a strong resemblance to you." Even confessing out loud he'd killed someone who merely looked like the woman he loved twisted his insides into knots, forcing him to swallow and take a steadying breath.

Scrunching up her nose, she said, "Shit … must've been difficult for you."

"Indeed, it left me with nightmares." Terrible nightmares, the memories of which continued to haunt his waking mind. In the first, the moment he'd pulled the trigger, he'd realized the woman on the other end of his scope was indeed Jasmine and not just someone who looked like her. The last one felt infinitely worse; he'd _known_ the woman was, in fact, Jasmine, but because he'd wrapped his battle sleep so tightly around himself, he'd killed her anyway, his commitment to fulfilling his contract taking priority.

"Damn." She frowned, eyes softening. "Now I feel like a major ass for not calling you sooner."

"There's no need for you to feel guilty, siha." He'd failed to call her sooner, as well. He'd told himself he meant to give her space to work and continue recovering, but a part of him knew he actually needed the space to cope with his dreams. "You've been busy, I understand this."

She scrunched up her face again. "Yeah … Isaac took me to meet his family, and we spent a couple of days there. I didn't feel right calling you from there."

"Ah. I see." He cleared his throat, just as conflicted about her meeting Isaac's family as he'd felt learning she'd brought Isaac to meet hers. "I hope they are well."

She seemed to hesitate before finally saying, "They're good people."

* * *

Angela and Sammy lay snoring in a tangled heap on one of the couches. Despite their earlier bickering, the girls were obviously still pretty close. Rift slept with his head in Jasmine's lap, feet in Isaac's. Karin left around eleven after getting a call from a distraught client and agreeing to meet them at her office. Jasmine didn't like the idea of her going off to deal with drug addicts alone and so late at night, and she could tell Geoffrey felt concerned, too. He seemed to be doing a fair enough job of distracting himself, though, by making idle chit-chat with Isaac. With their mother gone and Jasmine there, the younger three begged Geoffrey to be allowed to stay up.

Left foot resting on Jessica's knee, Jasmine watched as the teen painted her toenails—something she pitied Jasmine for being unable to do since before she got shot. It was about one in the morning, and sleep long since started tugging at Jasmine's mind. The monotone drone of the narrator on the Earth history documentary playing quietly on the vidscreen didn't help matters. It was something Geoffrey chose when he took over the remote after the younger kids fell asleep.

It'd already been decided she and Isaac would spend the night there and then discuss their plans further the next day. As always, Karin and Geoffrey made it clear they were welcome to stay for as long as they'd like. Jessica offered to let Jasmine sleep in the bed with her so she didn't have to deal with an uncomfortable cot, and Isaac got talked into sleeping on Rift's floor by the boy himself.

It didn't surprise her in the slightest for Rift to take to Isaac so completely, the boy spent so much time without the care and compassion of an adult, he'd attach himself to anyone willing to pay him attention. And damn it if Isaac wasn't really good with all of the kids. If he _did_ decide to settle down someday and become a father, he'd totally rock parenthood. He'd spent an hour laying on his stomach, taking up half the living room floor with his height, while he and Rift played with the kid's model ships. She'd made a mental note to check for some new ones the next time she visited the Citadel.

Geoffrey sighed when Jessica finished making Jasmine's toes sparkle with glittery, sapphire blue polish. He stood, moving over to the couch to scoop the unconscious little boy into his arms. "Jessica, go ahead and wake your sisters up and tell them to go to their beds, then head to bed yourself."

"But mom's still not home." Jessica looked up at her father, fear dancing around the edges of her eyes.

He smiled, but something about it made Jasmine's stomach churn and the hairs stand up on the back of her neck. He turned toward the hall, looking back over his shoulder as he said, "I'm sure she'll be home soon. It's late, you need your sleep. Go on, now."

Jessica huffed but did as he said, pushing herself to her feet and turning to the other couch to wake up Sammy and Angela. Jasmine glanced at Isaac, and as soon as their gazes met, she knew he'd picked up on her alarm. She stood up, giving Angela and Sammy both a hug as they made their way to their rooms.

Stopping in front of Jasmine, the oldest of the Williams girls met her gaze. Jessica sucked in a deep breath. "Will you wait up for her?"

"Yeah, try not to worry. Get some sleep. You've got raccoon eyes." Jasmine pulled the girl in for a hug, running her hand over Jessica's hair.

Jessica snorted, but clearly, her heart wasn't in it. "Wake me up and let me know when she's home?"

"Sure. Night." Jasmine let her go and gave her the best reassuring smile she could manage just then.

"Night." Turning to smile at Isaac, Jessica blushed a little. "Night, Isaac."

"Sleep well." Isaac waited for the girl to disappear down the hall before turning to face Jasmine, voice low as he demanded, "Is something wrong with Karin?"

Shaking her head, she said with a voice just as low, "I don't know. She doesn't go out late for clients often, but it's not unheard of. Geoffrey thinks something is wrong though, I can tell."

When Geoffrey walked back through, instead of coming over to talk, he made his way to the study. Jasmine followed him and stopped in the doorway, ice water pumping through her veins as she watched him open the gun safe.

"I'm going with you," she said, moving into the study.

"No," he said, not bothering to look at her. "I need you to stay here, stay with the kids."

"If there's trouble, you might need back up." She shook her head, staying the course, but he blocked her path.

"Jasmine," he said, turning to look at her, voice thick with strain, "please. Stay here. Keep my kids safe."

"Let me go with you, then," Isaac said, and Jasmine looked over her shoulder, finding him standing in the doorway.

She turned back to Geoffrey when he didn't answer right away. "Damn it, one of us _is_ going. It's your choice who."

Sighing, Geoffrey checked over his pistol before holstering it at his side. Looking up, he gave Isaac a curt nod and cleared the way. Isaac came inside and moved to the gun safe. Frustrated by being made to sit on the sidelines and scared, Jasmine left the study without a word and went to the kitchen, putting on a pot of coffee. No fucking way in hell was she going to let herself fall asleep until everyone came back home, safe and sound.


	58. Home

**Home**

Jasmine paced the living room, a sinking feeling growing deep in the pit of her stomach. Something was wrong. Really, really wrong. They were taking too long. They should've come back or at least called.

Stopping, she drained the cold coffee in her cup before pouring herself some more. She left it on the table to cool off while she made another circuit of the house, peeking into each of the children's rooms. They all slept soundly, but still, apprehension continued to tighten her muscles, leaving her back stiff and her neck sore. When she finally heard the front door opening, she felt so tightly wound, her heart nearly lept out of her chest. She held her breath and rushed to the hall, glancing toward the foyer. Isaac stepped inside, his face a stone mask as he glanced up and met her gaze.

And she knew.

 _Oh, God. Karin. No, please, God. No._

Something inside of her broke, but it didn't bring the rush of agony she'd expected. Instead, she just felt numb. Empty.

Stepping a little further into the light, Isaac licked his lips. "Jasmine …."

Blood. He had blood on his shirt. She didn't even bother to look him over for injuries. The blood belonged to Karin, she just knew. He said something else—she saw his lips move—but she didn't hear a single word. In fact, the only sound she heard was the thunder of her own pulse roaring in her ears. He moved toward her, mouth still forming silent words as he reached out to her. Blood covered his hands, too, dried to a near black against his dark skin. Looking back up at his face, she found tears in his eyes.

* * *

Thane's omni-tool pinged, an unfamiliar number flashing across the screen. He hesitated, considering not answering, but something told him he should. Putting his back to an empty wall, he made certain he left nothing behind him which might be used to pinpoint his location to even the most astute observer and then answered the call. Isaac's face appeared on his screen; certainly not who Thane might've expected but not an unwelcome surprise—until the look on the man's face registered in his mind.

Pain lanced through his chest, and he pulled his battle sleep tight around him on reflex. "What's happened? Has she been hurt?"

"Physically, she's fine." Isaac brought a hand to his face, rubbing his fingers over his forehead. "But I think you should come to Earth. Karin …. Jasmine just needs you right now."

"Karin's been hurt?" Thane didn't require a response to know something far worse than a mere injury happened; Isaac's expression told him all he needed to know. "Karin's gone to the sea." He lowered his gaze, Isaac's wince answer enough, and pulled in a deep breath. "I'll be there as quickly as I can."

He didn't wait for a response before closing his omni-tool. Moving to the closet, he pulled out his bags and laid them on the bed. He didn't own much, and most of his personal possessions remained packed, so it only took a couple of minutes to gather up the rest.

With everything secured, he slung the bags over his shoulder and collected his gun cases before leaving the apartment. As he stepped into the elevator at the end of the hall, he opened his omni-tool and forwarded the landlord another week's worth of rent and notice of his intent to vacate.

Once that was complete, he placed a call to Jasper—a human contact residing on the Citadel who specialized in tracking the movements of both ships and people in regards to the Citadel. Skipping the pleasantries, he said, "I'm headed to the docks. I need to go to Earth immediately, please secure me passage on whatever ship will get me there the fastest."

* * *

She pulled Rift onto her lap despite the sting of pain in her shoulder, and he buried his face against her neck, tears, spit, and snot instantly soaking through the collar of her shirt. The anguished wails he let out, deafeningly loud next to her ear, _should_ tear her apart. The sight of the girls' faces, contorted and red as they bawled and shook violently in their grief, _should_ eat her alive. The dead, empty look in Geoffrey's eyes _should_ steal the breath right from her lungs.

Still, she felt nothing.

Pretending to feel something she actually didn't, came as second nature to her, though, thanks to her training. She refused to let Geoffrey or the kids see her act as if Karin's death didn't matter. So, she faked it. She pushed tears out of her eyes, screwed up her face, shuddered, and sobbed, knowing it was the proper response—the _human_ response. How she'd really act if she weren't broken inside.

Isaac sat on the arm of the couch next to her, a hand resting on her shoulder. He said nothing, just stayed there with her, offering her comfort. But she didn't _need_ comforting. It'd been _hours_ since he walked back through the front door and brought her world crashing down with him. Her shock should've passed in that amount of time, real emotions flooding in. After all, Karin was ….

 _Like a mother. I've lost_ another _mother._

 _What the fuck's wrong with me? This isn't about me. Jesus Christ, listen to Rift and the girls. Karin_ was their _mother. And Rift's already lost one, too._

She supposed, in some way, her numbness made sense. Finding her mother's body on the bathroom floor nearly killed her as a kid; no wonder her psyche fought like hell to protect her from Karin's death. Maybe it was also why she'd always tried so hard not to think about the Williams family as her own. Thane was right, though. They were her family and their house her home.

* * *

Thane took a deep, steadying breath. Running his hands down his jacket, he forced himself to let go of his battle sleep. His siha needed him—all of him—and he must be prepared to feel her grief. Another steadying breath gave him the courage to raise his hand and knock on the wooden door, sorely in need of new paint.

A few moments later, the door opened. Geoffrey, haggard and tear-stained with blood-shot eyes met Thane's gaze, but it was as if he didn't see him. Thane's heart wrenched behind his ribs. Seeing the man after the loss of his wife felt bizarrely like looking into a distorted mirror, one which showed an alternate version of Thane himself after Irikah's death.

 _Arashu, save him._

Tucking his hands behind his back, Thane said, "Mr. Williams, I'm not sure if you remember who I am. We met—"

"Sere Krios, of course, I remember." Geoffrey turned his head, glancing back into his home. "Forgive me, I'm …."

"There's no need to apologize." Thane pulled a hand from behind his back, showing the man his palm to halt his words. "My heart aches for you and your family. If there is anything I might do to ease your suffering, please, you need only ask."

Tears welled up in Geoffrey's eyes, and he lowered his gaze. He swallowed, his throat shifting up and down a few times before he nodded his head and met Thane's gaze once more. "Thank you," he said, his voice choked. "Please, come inside. Jasmine's sleeping—finally—but I know it'd mean a lot to Rift to see you right now." He stepped back out of the way, one hand dropping from the door to hang limply at his side while the other swept out, gesturing into the house.

"My thanks." Thane stepped over the threshold, moving just past Geoffrey before turning and waiting for the man to show him inside.

"Do you need to use the gun safe?" Geoffrey asked when he turned around, raking his hand through his already disheveled hair. "It's a house rule, weapons go in the safe."

"Ah. No, I have no weapons on my person." Thane left his belongings, including his weapons, in the rented skycar he'd left parked in the driveway. His guns and blades were secured in cases requiring his biometric scans to open, and those cases locked in the back of the vehicle. Should a threat arise, he felt more than confident he'd handle the problem without weapons. He _was_ a weapon, after all.

Dragging his hand through his hair once more, Geoffrey nodded and tilted his head toward the hall as he started walking. Thane followed him, his gaze taking in the worn but clean brown carpet, the faded paint, and the stairs' wooden banister—highly polished from years of being touched by human hands, he suspected. The stairs occupied much of the space to his right, directly across from the entrance. Doors lined the hallway stretching out in front of him; the opened ones appeared to lead into bedrooms and a bathroom, but he could only guess at what stood behind the others. The pictures hanging on the wall held little interest for him until he caught sight of Jasmine's face. He paused, studying the familiar angles softened by youth.

"She hated me for making her take that picture." Geoffrey's soft laughter startled Thane, bringing him back to the moment.

Feeling oddly embarrassed for being caught staring at her photo, Thane chuckled despite himself. "She looks rather young here."

"She was. It was her eighteenth birthday. My wife … ." Geoffrey made a strangled sound and cleared his throat. When he spoke again, his voice trembled, "Karin was afraid Jasmine would be out the door the day she turned eighteen, and she just wanted … she wanted something to remember her by. Jasmine didn't want to take the picture, she said she hated photographs. I took her aside and explained to her how important it was to Karin and she finally agreed, though she wasn't happy about it." He rubbed his damp eyes. "We've got pictures of Rift up now, too. They're down here at the end."

Thane turned away from the picture and followed Geoffrey down the hall where he pointed out two frames filled with Rift's grinning face. Thane smiled, it brought him peace to see such happiness in the boy's eyes. Truly, Jasmine made the best choice by sending him to live with the Williams family.

Backtracking, Geoffrey took Thane into the living room. Old, worn, leather and cloth furniture filled the space. A fireplace occupied one wall, a vidscreen mounted above the mantel. Framed photographs decorated the walls and rested on the mantel along with a variety of odds and ends. To the right, an entryway led to a kitchen.

Isaac sat on a couch, Rift leaning in against his side, the boy's attention on the vidscreen. He nodded when Thane met his gaze but didn't leave the child's side or speak. Curled up in a leather chair, Sammy slept with her arms tucked in against her chest, a blanket thrown over her legs. Jessica sat at the opposite end of the couch from Isaac, leaning against a young man, her legs draped over his lap. She seemed to be sleeping, too, though her companion appeared more than alert as he stared, wide-eyed, at Thane. Angela and Jasmine were notably absent.

Geoffrey took a few, seemingly aimless steps into the living room before turning sideways. "Oh, uh …. You two already know each other, right?" He asked, gesturing at Isaac.

Rift turned, apparently just realizing someone had arrived. Eyes widening a little but lacking their usual warmth and excitement, he called out, "Sere Krios?"

Thane lowered himself to a knee, opening his arms as the child shoved off the couch and flung himself in Thane's direction. Incoherent and sobbing, Rift's words were lost against Thane's neck and shoulder. All he could do was hold the boy tight, rubbing his hand back and forth across Rift's back.

The sounds of Rift's grief stirred the girls awake, and within moments, both were also crying. Geoffrey moved to the chair, picking up his youngest daughter and bracing her against his chest before taking her seat. He stroked her hair and rested his lips on top of her head.

Thane felt every bit like an outsider, an intruder in what ought to be a private moment for the family. Still, he held no intention of leaving. Jasmine needed him. Rift needed him. His heart truly did ache for their loss. The sheer agony he felt when he'd realized he'd failed Irikah … he didn't wish such pain on anyone. Rift didn't cry for long, sobs subsiding within minutes, but still, he clung to Thane. He suspected the child already spent quite a bit of time shedding tears; likely everyone in the family had.

A few more moments passed before Rift pulled away, meeting Thane's gaze, lower lip quivering. "My mom died last night," he said, voice soft and shaking. "Someone killed her. She never hurt anyone, why would they do that?" The last part of his question came as a high-pitched whine, and he started to cry again, collapsing back against Thane.

"The galaxy is beset with wickedness, and sometimes terrible things happen to the best of people." Thane cupped the back of the child's head. "Your mother didn't deserve this, and I'm very sorry it happened."

* * *

Noah—the young man who'd comforted Jessica, her boyfriend according to Geoffrey—took the children to go pick up dinner and ice cream. Thane suspected Noah did so at Geoffrey's request, as no sooner than they'd left, Geoffrey locked himself in his study. Judging by the sounds coming from the room, the man worked to vent his emotions through primal sounding screams and by destroying his own belongings.

Neither Isaac nor Thane acknowledged what they heard, though, and miraculously the sounds didn't disturb Jasmine's rest. After two hours spent with Rift, Thane considered waking Jasmine, but no sooner than the thought occurred to him, the others left and Geoffrey broke down. If the noise didn't wake her, then she must desperately need the sleep … and it would only pain her further to bear witness to Geoffrey's grief. Perhaps she might offer the man some comfort, but Thane selfishly wanted to spare her pain more than he cared to soothe Geoffrey's.

Left alone with Isaac, Thane cleared his throat. "How long has she been sleeping?"

"A few hours. She stayed up all night, and she didn't really get much sleep the night before. An hour or two in the shuttle on the way here, that's about it." Isaac rubbed a hand over his face and nodded his head toward the kitchen before standing. "I think I've got more coffee in my veins than blood right now myself."

Thane stood to follow him as he made his way to the kitchen. "You've not slept either?"

"I napped a couple of hours on the couch when Rift fell asleep on my lap. Poor kid." Isaac shook his head, pouring himself a cup of coffee. "I went with Geoffrey last night to check on Karin. She'd left the house pretty late to meet someone at her office and stayed gone for a long time." He put the carafe back into the machine and turned to the table, taking a seat. Nodding his head at another chair, he waited for Thane to sit before he continued, "She was already dead by the time we got there. Her office was ransacked, and she'd been beaten and stabbed. The police are working on the theory that the man she'd met with became enraged when she refused to order him a prescription for narcotics and attacked her."

 _Beaten and stabbed._

Images of Irikah's broken, lifeless corpse threatened to drown out everything else. She'd been beaten and stabbed, also. Their home destroyed. Her blood had soaked through their broken, overturned furniture. Thane swallowed, waging an internal war against the memories threatening to force their way through the surface and escape his lips.

Isaac let out a deep breath—helping Thane to refocus—and took a drink from his cup. "There was more than one person there, though. At least three, besides Karin. I'm not sure if the police realize it or not, but I couldn't stick around for them to show up. They'd start questioning me, wanting to know how I know so much about the crime scene, where I was when it happened, who I am …." Leaning forward, he propped an elbow on the table and rubbed his eyes. "Geoffrey knows what Jasmine does professionally, and he knows who I am to her, so I told him what I saw before I left, but I don't know if he _really_ heard me, you know? Finding his wife like that …. I can't even imagine …."

"Regrettably, I can." Gently clearing his throat, Thane folded his hands on the table. "And yes, I do know."

"Shit." Regret flashed through Isaac's eyes when he looked up again. "I didn't even consider what this must be like for you. I'm sorry."

"I'm … managing." Thane dipped his head. "Please, continue."

Drinking deeply from his coffee, Isaac licked his lips. "I'd checked Karin when we got there, trying to find signs of life, so I had blood on me. The whole situation was just so …. I didn't even think about washing up before coming back here. All I could think about was how bad this was going to hurt Jasmine." He looked haunted by whatever he saw, gaze glazing over as he stared at the wall past Thane. "And I just made it worse. She saw the blood when I got here, of course, and she just … shut down. I didn't even get the chance to say anything before I could tell she'd just checked out. She's spent the whole day pretending to be feeling something—probably for their sake, and damn it she's good—but I know it was just a show."

If she continued clinging to her battle sleep, it might be problematic. Thane knew what one became capable of in the face of such injustices when they refused to let themselves feel. After all, he'd done the same, and he'd hunted down and slaughtered the men who'd killed Irikah. Unease crept over him, dread spreading out along his spine. He stood, pushing away from the table. "I want to check in on her. Where is she?"

"First door on the left, top of the stairs." Isaac pointed upward. "Try not to wake her, though, please."

"Of course." Thane left the kitchen and made his way to the staircase.

The sounds coming from Geoffrey's office died down a minute or so before, but so close, Thane heard the man's muffled sobs through the walls. Moving on silent feet, he made his way up the stairs and stopped in front of the door Isaac mentioned. He hesitated, afraid to open the door and prove his instincts correct.

 _Sweet Arashu, please let her be inside._

Taking a deep breath, he turned the handle and cracked the door open, moving carefully to not make a sound and risk waking her, just in case. Light from the hall filtered through the door, catching on the empty bed. His heart sank, and he opened the door the rest of the way, just to verify there was no one in the room. She was gone. He pulled the door closed and went back downstairs, heading straight for Isaac.

"She's gone," Thane said, pressing his fists to the table's surface.

"What?" Isaac's face suddenly seemed a shade paler. He sat down his cup and pushed away from the table. "Goddamnit."

Without another word, the two of them went to Geoffrey's study, and Isaac knocked softly. It took a few seconds, but Geoffrey finally opened the door. Behind him, papers, books, picture frames, and several other items littered the floor. The far wall held several holes, and the man's hands were bruised and swollen. A barely restrained predator lurked behind his eyes, pacing and snarling when he met Thane's gaze.

"Jasmine's gone. Do you know where she went?" Isaac asked.

Geoffrey moved away from the door, turning his back on them. He crossed the cluttered floor to his desk and collapsed down in the chair. "I received a notification saying she'd accessed the gun safe about an hour after she laid down," he said, his voice hollow. "I've been telling myself she just needed some time to herself, but …."

 _But you know it isn't true._

Isaac let out a weary sigh and rubbed his hand over his face before opening his omni-tool. A moment later, he sucked on his teeth. "She's deactivated her omni-tool. The call's bouncing back."

"I know," Geoffrey said, voice barely above a whisper.

Closing the screen, Isaac glanced up and met Thane's gaze. "I have to go find her. I can't let her do this."

"I don't mean to challenge your authority over her, but if she has gone to hunt down the people responsible for Karin's death, she won't be dissuaded." Thane's stomach twisted and his heart throbbed as he said it, but he knew it was the truth, felt it in his soul. Nothing and no one would've ever convinced him to allow Irikah's killers to continue to breathe, and he was well versed in Jasmine's stubbornness. "Even if you succeed in stopping her this time, Jasmine won't let this go. She'll return when you're not by her side. She won't stop until they're dead, and this will haunt her for the rest of her life."

"So what do you suggest I do?" The words left Isaac with a growl, and he rubbed his hand over his head.

"I …." What _did_ he suggest? They needed to think of something, they were running out of time … if they weren't already too late. Taking a deep breath, Thane glanced between Isaac and Geoffrey. "If I am offered a contract to take the lives of those responsible for Karin's death, I will accept."

"Jesus Christ, you want me to hire you to kill them?" Geoffrey sat back in his chair and ran a trembling hand through his hair again. A flood of emotions, too swift for Thane to track, shifted from one to another across Geoffrey's face. His gaze unfocused, but Thane understood he saw his wife's body as he found her.

Thane gave him a moment before gently clearing his throat. "If it is your desire."

"How is that a solution?" Isaac shook his head. "It's not any better if you kill them!"

"It is." Thane tucked his hands behind his back, resolute in his decision. "Their deaths will not stain her soul."

Scoffing, Isaac shook his head, throwing a hand out in Thane's direction. "They'll just stain yours, then. That'll make her happy." His anger and sarcasm lingered in the air, thickening the atmosphere. "It's one thing to accept a contract, but to solicit one?"

Thane lowered his head. "No. Although I would rather take this on myself than let it be on Jasmine, I will just be the instrument of their deaths, regardless of my offer. The responsibility will lie with whoever chose to hire me."

"It doesn't matter; I can't afford to pay you," Geoffrey said.

"I am already in your debt." Thane turned to find Geoffrey staring at him, and he dipped his head to the man. "You took Rift into your family and provided him with a home, and if not for your intervention in Jasmine's life, I might not have ever met her."

Geoffrey ran a hand over the stubble along his jaw and chin. Pursing his lips, he slowly nodded, cold determination icing over his eyes. "Do it. Let this one be on me, not her. Go. Do what you have to do to save my girl from herself and bring her home."

Thane sighed in relief and dipped his head. "As you will."

* * *

Jasmine's brain felt jittery, her muscles twitchy. The cool, late-winter air left her fingers a little numb and settled into her joints, making them ache—especially her knees where they made contact with the rocky rooftop. Between the lack of sleep and the stims she'd picked up to keep herself going, she knew she'd crossed a line and wasn't thinking rationally.

 _Fuck rationality. Those sons of bitches killed Karin. They killed Rift's mother._ My _mother._

She'd consider the consequences of her stim use later. Adjusting her scope, she watched the three thugs in the alley down below. She'd seen what they did to Karin. Santa Fe Police Department's internal security sucked. It was _way_ too easy for her to get into their files, and she didn't even need to get near enough to the building to risk being seen. The sick fucks took their time with Karin, beating her mercilessly before stabbing her to death. Jasmine had knives. Maybe she should rough up the assholes a little and then stab them, too.

Karin wasn't even in her grave yet, and the pieces of shit who killed her were out walking around like nothing happened. Jasmine didn't see a hint of fear or guilt on their faces, just the focused, hungry look of addicts trying to get their next hit. She waited for their dealer to walk away, her issue wasn't with him. As soon as the men were alone again, opening their little bags of white powder, she focused her scope on the first man and turned on her laser sights.

And then she couldn't move. Literally. Biotic energy surrounded her, holding her in place.

"Damn it, Sunshine." Isaac's voice came from somewhere behind her.

 _Jesus fuck, Isaac. Let me go! Let me go!_

Eye still to the scope, she saw Thane step out of the shadows down below. A haze of confusion and desperation filled her mind, making her head spin and her stomach roil. He glanced up, his gaze seeming to find her despite the impossibility the distance created, and it felt like a fist crushing her heart. Moving like a specter in the night, he left all three men lying dead on the alley floor in a matter of heartbeats before melting into the shadows once more.

"I kept hoping we were wrong. I thought there might actually be a chance we wouldn't find you here."

Isaac's voice sounded right beside her, the disappointment in his tone slicing through her, but she still couldn't open her left eye or take her right from the scope to look at him. All she could do was stare at the bodies in the alley, something breaking loose inside of her and starting a landslide. Tears flooded her eyes, but she couldn't even blink them away. Her throat ached to let out a wail, but no sound escaped her. The Stasis surrounding her felt like the only thing keeping her upright, but then it vanished.

Isaac's arms wrapped around her, and she sagged against him, sniper rifle clattering on the rooftop. Sucking in a deep breath, she shuddered and sobbed, the suppressed wail finally scraping its way through her throat, leaving it raw and her mouth tasting of blood. He held her against him, keeping her from completely collapsing. After a moment, he turned, putting his back to the safety wall and pulled her into his lap, much as she had with Rift earlier that morning.

* * *

The tears finally stopped falling, leaving behind a different kind of numbness, one wrought of exhaustion and simply having nothing left inside to cry out anymore. Patchouli and mint filled her nostrils with each breath, warm scales and hard muscle rested beneath her palm. Hands that stole her vengeance stroked her hair and her back, cradling her in the backseat of Thane's rented skycar.

Isaac lowered the vehicle to the driveway outside of the Williams' residence. Jasmine watched him out of the corner of her eye as he hung his head, sitting in the silence for nearly an entire minute before he opened the door and climbed out. Thane didn't move, though, other than continuing his gentle caresses. After another minute, she stirred, shifting off of his lap and opening the door on her side. A part of her felt angry with him for killing those men. Another part only knew relief.

Climbing out of the skycar, she reached back in and grabbed her gun case from the floorboard before heading to the house. He remained a silent figure at her back, just a couple of paces away as she went inside and headed straight for Geoffrey's study. Isaac waited for her by the door, shoulders slumped in either exhaustion or defeat, she wasn't sure which. She felt as upset with him as he seemed with her, a fissure in their trust. It would either heal itself or it wouldn't, just then, she didn't care one way or the other.

She didn't bother finding Geoffrey to ask him to unlock the door. Obviously, he knew she had the code, so she saw no point. Punching in the numbers on the keypad, she hesitated, gaze taking in what looked like a war zone. She glanced at both men standing nearby. Neither seemed fazed by the mess as if they'd expected it, so she didn't dwell on it either.

Careful where she stepped, she made her way through the debris. With the stims wearing off, leaden weights filled her body, anchoring her to the floor and making each step a defiance of physics. Every breath she took nudged her closer and closer to unconsciousness. Her mind felt foggy, her thoughts slowed and murky as if struggling to keep her head above water. She knew the moment she laid down and closed her eyes, though, she'd only see the pictures of Karin's body on the backs of her eyelids. Even if she happened to fall asleep, she'd only have nightmares. She'd bought enough stims to keep herself awake for a couple more days if she needed to.

 _Red sand works better._

After putting her sniper rifle away, she unholstered her pistol, too, setting it on top of the case. Then she released the velcro on the sheath for her throwing knives, folded it, and set it next to the pistol. Stepping out of the way, she waited in silence while Thane and Isaac both stored their weapons before closing the door and resetting the lock.

When she turned to leave the office, she found Geoffrey standing in the doorway, relief evident on his face. Tears started to fill her eyes again, and he crossed the threshold, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into an embrace. She clung to him, sobs wracking her body once more.

"Are they dead?" Geoffrey asked, and Jasmine nodded against his chest.

"It is as you wished," Thane said.

Pulling away to look up at Geoffrey, then Thane, and back again, she asked, "What's he talking about?"

Geoffrey didn't meet her gaze, just tightened his grip on her and pulled her back in against him. Resting his chin on top of her head, he said, "Nothing. Don't worry about it, kiddo. I'm just glad you're home."


	59. Epilogue: Relapse

**Epilogue: Relapse**

Jasmine stood at the gravesite in silence, Isaac at her left, Thane at her right. Geoffrey stood not far off; Rift and the girls huddled in against him. Under other circumstances, seeing Rift in a little black suit would've tickled her pink. Seeing him wear it for Karin's funeral twisted the knife a little deeper into Jasmine's heart.

Being winter, the plot needed to be thawed before the grave could be dug, and it took a couple of extra days. Despite the below freezing temperatures, the sun shone brightly—not a single fucking cloud in the sky. And it felt downright disrespectful. Karin would've liked seeing the sun shining, but Karin was dead. The whole goddamn Earth should be in mourning, including the sky.

Tears came and went as they pleased, just as they did since Jasmine watched Thane snap the necks of Karin's murders. Men Jasmine wanted to kill. It didn't take her long to figure out Thane somehow convinced Geoffrey to 'hire' him to kill the men so she wouldn't. She guessed they both feared for her immortal soul … just not their own. Well, by Thane's thinking, the judgment would fall on Geoffrey alone when his time came. She'd have rather condemned herself to Hell than either of them; God knew she was headed there anyway.

Isaac hadn't said much else to her yet. She knew he probably thought the lives of those men weren't hers to take just like the guys she and Ares killed back on the Citadel. He was smart for not saying it to her, though; she felt fairly certain she'd lose her shit on him if he did. As far as she was concerned, those sons of bitches forfeited their lives to her the moment they laid a finger on Karin. She _deserved_ to claim their lives … but Geoffrey deserved it more. It might be the only thing keeping her from feeling truly angry with Thane and Isaac for interfering.

 _Either way, at least they're dead._

A dark skycar landed in the designated zone a few meters away. Jasmine watched as the doors opened, Ashley Williams and her sisters stepping out. Letting out a little hiss—the sight of Geoffrey's oldest niece already making her hackles rise—Jasmine closed her eyes when Thane's grip on her waist tightened, and he turned to look down at her.

"Are you well, siha?" he asked, voice gentle but prodding.

"I'm fine." She opened her eyes again, gaze settling back on the coffin in front of her.

Geoffrey opted for a closed casket. Although they'd attended the viewing, he thought it might be easier for the kids. Jasmine couldn't quite say Karin looked 'peaceful', but the mortuary did a decent enough job camouflaging the damage she thought an opened casket would've been just fine. She didn't think it'd really make a fuck of a difference to the kids one way or the other—Karin would still be dead.

* * *

The family gathered to form a receiving line, and Jasmine started to slip away. Jessica reached out and grabbed her hand, though, tugging Jasmine back to stand between her and Geoffrey. Uncertainty swept through her, but when she met Geoffrey's gaze, she knew he wouldn't have it any other way. Glancing down the line, she looked over the mix of the Williams family's relatives, both from Karin's side and Geoffrey's. Ashley met her gaze, lip lifting in a sneer as she narrowed her eyes at Jasmine. Obviously, she didn't think Jasmine should be in the receiving line, either, but it only made Jasmine more determined to stay.

People flowed past her, some shaking her hand, others squeezing her shoulder—which brought only a spark of pain when someone made the mistake of going for her right shoulder instead of her left. She didn't really hear the words they said to her, nor did she really care. Nothing any of them had to say would make a fuck of a difference. Karin was still dead.

Catching sight of Thane moving closer, her gaze stayed on him, using him as an anchor as nameless, faceless strangers passed her by. Unsurprisingly, he was the only alien in attendance, and it drew quite a bit of attention to him. She told him he didn't have to be there, but he insisted, telling her it was his duty as much as his honor to stand by her side through it all. She didn't know what to think of the whole 'duty' thing. She wasn't sure what to think about much of anything anymore … but she knew she loved him, and despite feeling disgruntled towards him, having him there made the funeral easier to swallow.

Isaac stopped in front of her, dragging her attention from Thane. Reaching out, he cupped her cheek, using his thumb to brush away a tear she didn't even realize slipped out. "I'm sorry, Sunshine." He leaned down, kissing her forehead, and more tears fell from her eyes as he moved on through the line.

Thane wasn't far behind him, and when he reached her, he pulled her in against his chest. She clung to the edges of his jacket, gentle sobs shaking her as she buried her face in his neck. She didn't know how long he held her there, but when he finally let go again, the rest of the guests had passed her by.

* * *

Jasmine poured more rum into her glass before setting the bottle on the kitchen counter. Tossing back the liquor, she puckered her lips as she swallowed it down and turned her gaze to the woman leaning against the refrigerator next to her.

"Shouldn't you at least _try_ to stay sober? For God's sake, Jasmine, Karin was just killed by addicts." Ashley raised an eyebrow, lips twisted in disgust as she looked at Jasmine. "My uncle doesn't need another one making an ass out of herself at the reception. It's bad enough you stood in the receiving line and brought an alien to her funeral."

"Don't," Jasmine said, knowing she didn't have it in her to put up with Ashley's bullshit.

"Why are you even here? It's not like you actually stuck around long enough to really get to know Karin." Ashley scoffed. "Geoffrey might buy your tears, but I—"

Slamming Ashley against the refrigerator door, Jasmine pressed her forearm across the woman's collarbones, her voice coming out in a seething hiss when she said, "Backyard. Now."

"Siha!"

First shock and then anger flared in Ashley's eyes as she shoved back against Jasmine. "Let's go, bitch."

"Siha, wait … you don't want to do this."

 _Oh, yes, I do._

Easing away, she dropped her arm from Ashley's chest, staring the woman down before taking a step back and waved her arm at the door next to the refrigerator. Smirking, always so goddamn cocksure, Ashley turned her back on Jasmine and opened the door, stepping out on the porch before letting the storm door slam shut behind her. Cold, winter air flooded the kitchen, but Jasmine didn't bother going to fetch a coat before following Ashley outside.

Ashley waited for her out in the yard, bringing her hands up in front of her face as she took on a stance Jasmine remembered well enough from basic training. Taking her time, Jasmine stepped down from the porch, gaze roaming over Ashley, already picking out the woman's weaknesses. She'd never seen Ashley fight before, but she'd heard through the grapevine Ashley was a real front and center, right in the thick of things kind of soldier. Ashley also believed Jasmine never even made it through basic training before calling it quits on the Alliance—tending to be a major source for her distaste for Jasmine—which meant she had _no fucking idea_ what Jasmine was capable of.

The screen door opened again, but Jasmine didn't bother to look as she fell into the same stance, smart enough to not show the soldier all of her cards despite the flames of a grief-fueled rage licking at her mind.

"Jasmine." Isaac's voice carried a warning edge, but still, she didn't look back.

"You better listen to your boyfriends." Ashley smirked. "You don't know what you're getting yourself into." She didn't even give Jasmine the chance to take her 'advice', though, before lunging at her, fists swinging.

Jasmine side-stepped, dropping one stance for another as she moved and rammed her elbow into Ashley's back, high enough to avoid the kidney and low enough to miss her ribs. She wanted to put the bitch on her ass, not seriously damage her.

* * *

Letting out a resigned sigh, Thane watched as Jasmine danced circles around the antagonistic woman. After Ashley's last remark, Isaac appeared less inclined to order Jasmine to stop and return to the house. Instead, he leaned against the porch railing and crossed his arms. Thane might've continued to try and urge Jasmine to reconsider, but once Ashley attacked, he knew there would be no point. So, he just observed, but he intended to intervene if he must to save the life of the foolish woman who clearly didn't understand what the Alliance trained Jasmine to do.

After a moment, Thane admitted to himself it brought him a sense of pride to watch how easily Jasmine led Ashley around the yard, swiftly dodging blows and rarely failing to deliver her own. He'd never actually seen her fight, beyond when they first met and their time sparring on Kahje. Even in her grief, even with her anger, she looked beautiful. Four times, she knocked Ashley off her feet, barely giving the woman a chance to rise from the ground before moving in on her again. Surprise evident in Ashley's eyes, still the woman refused to back down. Refused to surrender.

 _Ah._

And then he understood it was because she was a Williams. He remembered the conversation he'd had with Jasmine about the way people treated the Williams family because Geoffrey's uncle surrendered in the First Contact War. Even when blood poured from her nose, Ashley didn't quit, she just got up again. A small gash in her eyebrow dripped blood into her eyes, undoubtedly making it harder for her to see and track Jasmine's movements, but she continued to swing.

Moving closer to Isaac and pitching his voice low, Thane said, "She is the granddaughter of General Williams of Shanxi. It's likely Ashley will let this continue until she is unconscious … or dead."

Isaac glanced at Thane, his brow furrowing before he turned his attention back to the fight. "That's enough, Sunshine," he said, but she didn't stop. "Jasmine, enough." Pushing away from the railing, Isaac raised his voice, barking out his words, "Stand down, Shepard!"

Jasmine spun, facing Isaac, hand snapping up to her forehead in salute. "Sir, yes, sir!" Despite following the order, defiance danced along the flames flickering in her eyes.

The command in Isaac's voice brought Ashley up short as well. She wiped the blood from her mouth, swaying on her feet as she glanced between Isaac and Jasmine.

After a long moment of Isaac and Jasmine staring at one another, Isaac let out a huff of breath and shook his head. "Get back inside before you freeze to death."

Jasmine dropped her hand and headed toward the steps, not meeting anyone's gaze as she climbed the stairs.

"I thought you quit the Alliance?" Ashley called after her.

Stopping in her tracks, Jasmine didn't bother to turn around before simply saying, "You thought wrong."

* * *

After Jasmine's encounter with Ashley, Thane and Isaac were both concerned enough to insist she speak with Karin's cousin—a doctor named Logan Mason. After she explained her gunshot injuries and the measures taken by the Citadel doctor, Dr. Mason ushered Jasmine into Jessica's bedroom to perform a cursory exam. Thane joined them, watching as the doctor scanned her shoulder and abdomen with his omni-tool. Dr. Mason cleared her, but not before telling her she was lucky she didn't dislodge what remained of the mesh supporting her shoulder or refracture the still-healing bone.

Once the house emptied of all funeral guests, Jasmine took some halgraven and laid down. Jessica offered the use of her room to them the day he arrived. Initially, he declined, insisting he would be fine on the floor or a couch, but apparently, none of the Williams children wished to sleep in their own beds, instead opting to pile together on pallets made in front of the fireplace. Geoffrey chose the couch as his resting place, either unwilling or simply unable to sleep in the bed he once shared with his wife—something Thane understood all too well. Isaac slept just down the hall in Rift's room.

Thane watched her as she slept—if fitfully—something she'd gotten so little of over the last few days. The rest of the house settled down around him, the sounds of footsteps, doors opening and closing, running water, and muffled voices coming with less frequency. Wind howled outside the building; weather alerts early in the evening promising a winter storm with a high chance of snow. The house itself felt plenty warm, though, and safe thanks to Geoffrey's willingness to allow Thane and Isaac to add in additional security measures.

Restless and unable to sleep himself, Thane contented himself with taking in the shadows as they fell across Jasmine's face. Although she hadn't said anything as of yet, he knew she was upset with him for accepting Geoffrey's contract. He regretted the act only in as much as it displeased her; he felt no remorse for preventing her from doing something that would hurt her worse given time. He prayed she would forgive him.

The pain and anger haunting her eyes since Karin's death filled him with dread. Losing someone else she was close to in yet another seemingly nonsensical act took a toll on her, shattered a part of her she seemed to fight to keep hidden from those around her—even him. He feared for what it might mean for her soul. She'd already seemed so strained, more reserved, since Illium and her imprisonment after, but then with everything that happened since with Cerberus, being shot, the Cerberus assassin, learning of the other ways Leon betrayed her, and then Karin's death …. Thane smelled the stims in her sweat, but he didn't dare broach the subject with her just yet.

Whimpering, she flipped over to her side, flinging her arm out over the edge of the bed. A moment later, she let out a strained, fear-filled gasp and turned again, the back of her hand slapping against his chest. Reaching out, he brushed hair out of her face, humming softly, and her eyes snapped open.

"It was only—" He didn't get all the words from his mouth before she covered it with her own.

The sudden shock of her fervor as she shoved her tongue against his lips, demanding entrance, startled him, and he pulled back. But she only persisted, her palm against his shoulder pushing him flat against the mattress as she pulled his lower lip between her teeth and climbed on top of him. He tried to say her name, remind her of where they were, but she only seized the opportunity to slip her tongue past his lips, sliding over his own. Heat rushed through him despite his best intentions when she rocked her hips against him and ran her fingers over his frills.

"Siha," he whispered when she tore her mouth away, leaving his lips feeling swollen and nearly raw. "I don't—" He groaned as her teeth scraped over his throat, her hand sliding down his abdomen to dip inside the waistband of his pants. "We're in Jessica's room," he reminded her, settling his hand down on top of her wrist.

She rocked her hips again, testing his restraint on her wrist as she used her fingertips to knead the scales and muscle beneath her hand, tugging against him. "I don't care," she said, voice hoarse. Tongue darting out of her mouth, she traced a scorching hot trail down his throat before nipping at his shoulder. "I want you." Lifting her head, she nuzzled against his frills before whispering in his ear. "I need you."

Pushing downward, she didn't give him the chance to respond before freeing her wrist from his grip and wrapping her hand around his growing erection. Resolve wavering, his mind flipped back and forth between wanting to succumb to her desires and insist she get off of him. It didn't seem appropriate, not in Jessica's room, perhaps not even under Geoffrey's roof, and most certainly not so soon after burying Karin in the cold earth. And … there was a rough edge to her touch he'd never felt from her before, making him more concerned for her mental state.

Yet it stirred something inside of him, called out and challenged some primal part of his brain, making him want to _claim_ her.

Sucking in a staggered breath, Thane relented, allowing her to stroke him until he'd do anything she asked of him just to feel her surrounding him. She purred against him, seemingly pleased with the results of her efforts and released him to tug his pants down over his hips. Not even taking the time to remove her undergarment, she simply shoved it aside before wrapping her hand back around him. Wet heat washed over him as she used the head of his erection to part her folds and rushed to lower herself onto him.

* * *

She wasn't at all gentle with him, and it didn't take long before he stopped being gentle with her—exactly what she wanted. What she _needed_. She didn't want to _make love_. She wanted to _fuck_ the man she loved. She wanted to channel her grief and her anger through the act, vent it from her system, knowing when it was over, she'd forgive him and everyone else involved in keeping her from taking the revenge she felt owed.

Leaning over, she sank her teeth into his shoulder, stifling her own screams as her body shook with an orgasm. A low, rumbling growl vibrated through Thane's chest before he wrapped his hands around her and flipped her over to her back. Hitching her thigh up higher over his hip, he slammed into her, stealing her breath and sending the most glorious aftershock rocking through her body.

 _Yes. Oh, God. Yes. This. This is what I need. Fuck me._

* * *

Jasmine sat on the edge of the toilet lid, fresh from the shower, turning the little, auto-injecting vial of stims over and over in her fingers. The drug name, Videlicet, stared back at her with each pass. It was the last of the vials she bought, but she knew how easy it'd be to get more. She almost felt the rush of the stim, like fire in her veins, her body's way of taunting her, trying to convince her brain to pop the top and press the vial against her skin. Closing her eyes, she took a deep, shaky breath. When she opened them again, she carefully set the vial on the edge of the sink and stood up.

She got dressed and stood in front of the mirror, using Karin's hair dryer as she ran the brush through her hair. Try as she might, her gaze just kept straying back to the little, glass bottle of Videlicet. Turning off the hair dryer, she wrapped up the cord and put it away before pressing her fists into the counter.

"Fuck it." She picked up the vial and snapped it open, pressing the injector against her neck before she could talk herself out of it. It wasn't like she hadn't already relapsed. Sucking in a deep breath as the drug hit her, tears filled her eyes. "Oh, God."

 **A/N:** Stay tuned for Part 3 - The Hunt


	60. Prologue: Sobriety

**Targeted Interference: The Hunt**

 **Prologue: Sobriety**

"Project Evolution," Avalina said, "is led by a Cerberus scientist named Dr. Hazel Vance. Her team consists of sixteen other scientists, eleven medical doctors, and forty others in various positions ranging from handling finances, administrative task, and janitorial, to guarding the facility. I'll send you a full list of names with my report. I haven't been able to pinpoint their location just yet, but I am able to confirm for you that Project Evolution is sponsored by the Alliance, unofficially. Admiral Sergey Vladimir Petrovich acts as a liaison between the Alliance and Project Evolution's team, providing them with a portion of the funding the project requires as well as soldiers recruited for experimentation."

Jasmine sucked in a deep breath, held it for a few seconds before blowing it back out with a harshly spoken, "Sonofabitch."

 _I'm too tired for this shit._

It'd been hours since her last Videlicet, and her brain itched. She couldn't just get up and walk out, though. It'd be too suspicious. Both Isaac and Thane knew how long she'd been waiting for the news Avalina just handed her on a shiny, hundred thousand credit, silver platter. She needed to keep her shit underwraps. The conversation would be over soon, and then she'd excuse herself. She almost felt the rush of the stims hitting her system just thinking about it.

 _What the fuck am I doing? Oh, God. What the fuck am I doing? At least it's not red sand._

"You're completely certain?" Isaac asked, rubbing a hand over his face and snapping Jasmine out of her fantasies of pressing the auto-injector against her skin.

She glanced up at Isaac before shifting to Avalina. Feeling Thane's gaze on her, she turned her head enough to look at him and offer him a smile. He'd been watching her closely since showing up on Earth and taking out her kills before she could pull the trigger. He didn't say anything, but she knew he wanted to; she saw it in his tight-lipped expression every time she caught him looking at her. It made her paranoid as all hell, even coming from the one person she trusted more than anyone else—even Isaac. Setting a hand on his knee, she turned her attention back to the screen.

"Entirely." Avalina lifted a brow, smirking at Isaac before turning her attention back to Jasmine. "I'll let you know as soon as I have a location for you." She watched Jasmine for a moment before folding her hands on her desk. "Cerberus is full of dangerous, and I'm now convinced, irredeemable people. If you intend to confront Cerberus … I offer you use of all of my skills—free of charge."

* * *

A week passed since Karin's funeral, and yet Jasmine continued to use stims. Continued to try and hide it from Thane, from Isaac, from everyone. Thane spent several long hours debating on whether or not he should speak to Isaac about the situation, believing it'd most certainly be seen as a betrayal in her eyes. He thought Isaac might be better suited to help her with the situation, but he couldn't bring himself to betray her trust; at least not until he'd worked up the courage to _try_ to help himself.

He licked his lips, sucking in a deep breath, the chemical odor flooding his nostrils as it intermingled with her scent. "Siha …."

Putting down the datapad, she rolled over and looked at him, her eyes dark and sunken despite the light-giving lamps on either side of the bed. "Yeah?" she said, the movement drawing his gaze to the gauntness of her cheeks.

 _She looks …. Arashu, save her._

"Forgive me, I'm not sure how to approach this topic, but I fear I've waited too long as it is." He drew his brow ridges in and swallowed. "I know … that is, I'm aware of your use of stims … and I'm concerned."

Shutter slamming closed, she didn't move, not even to blink for several, long moments. When at last she finally spoke, tears welled in her eyes. "Does Isaac know? Geoffrey? Oh God, the kids?"

"I haven't spoken about it to anyone, but I can't say for certain one way or the other." Taking a gamble, he shifted his weight to reach out and stroke her jaw. When she didn't flinch or pull away from him, he used his thumb to brush away the tears sliding down her cheeks. "But perhaps Geoffrey and Isaac should know. I'm at a loss as to how to help you with this other than to listen to whatever you might have to say and offer you my unconditional love and support."

Pinning her lower lip between her teeth, she shook her head. "It would be like a slap in the face to tell Geoffrey I'm using after Karin's death, and Isaac … I've put enough on him. And, I've already been walking a fine line with him, anyway. I can't afford to push him further away. It's not a big deal. I'll just stop using them."

"Siha …." He let the endearment linger as he considered his next words carefully. "I can't pretend to know how they might react at first, but it's clear to me they both love you and will want to do whatever they can to help you put this behind you." Hesitating, he brushed his fingers over her forehead, pushing aside hair. "Please, Jasmine. It pains me to see you like this. You've barely slept or eaten in days, and I'm _afraid_ for you."

Squeezing her eyes closed, she took a deep, shuddering breath and nodded her head. "Okay."

 _Oh, praise Arashu. Thank you, siha. Thank you._

* * *

"Where are we going?" Scraping her teeth over her lip, she shoved her hands between her knees, trapping them there to keep from fidgeting as she watched Isaac pace.

She didn't know what to expect when she'd asked Thane to gather Isaac and Geoffrey into Geoffrey's study so she could talk to them. It took her a solid ten minutes after Thane walked out of the room to fight back the urge to take her stims and run. The thought of telling Geoffery and Isaac terrified her, and she hadn't been sure whose reaction she dreaded more. Neither of them responded the way she'd imagined.

"Back to Lusia." Stopping in front of her, Isaac turned his attention to Thane. "If it's alright with you?"

"Of course." Thane settled a hand on her knee, giving her a gentle squeeze.

Sucking in a deep breath she fought the urge to argue against Lusia, knowing it'd be pretty damn hard for her to get her hands on stims _or_ red sand on the asari planet. Hell, the fact probably weighed heavily in Isaac's choice. She felt itchy and shaky, invisible insects wriggling beneath her skin and boring holes through her brain. The manufacturer's box of Videlicet she'd turned over with her confession sat on Geoffrey's desk, calling to her with whispered promises of making everything better if she'd use _just one more_.

Moving to the desk, Geoffrey silently picked up the box and carried it out of the room—away from her longing gaze. The kids finally started going back to school the day before, so there wasn't any chance of them seeing the drugs and asking their father about the box—at least she'd be spared the shame of _them_ learning she'd relapsed. Miraculously, she'd managed to stay away of red sand, somehow convincing herself using stims wasn't a major thing to be concerned about because they _weren't_ what she _really_ craved.

Isaac resumed his pacing, though it didn't seem agitated quite so much as thoughtful. Every other pass, he glanced at her, a frown tugging at his lips, sadness in his eyes. She thought she'd rather he be angry with her. Anger she could handle. Pity not so much.

Returning, Geoffrey sat on the couch to her left and put an arm around her, pulling her into his side. "I wish you would've come to me sooner, kiddo," he said, voice soft and low enough to stay between the two of them before kissing the top of her head. "You're a part of this family, Jasmine. You'll _always_ be a part of this family, and having a family means having people you can turn to and lean on when you're struggling. No matter what."

Shame washed through her, tears welling up in her eyes for what felt like the hundredth time since her discussion with Thane the night before. Turning, she buried her face against his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Geoffrey. I'm so sorry."

* * *

"Again." Isaac's plan for Jasmine's rehabilitation apparently relied heavily on him and Thane taking turns kicking her ass, over and over.

She gritted her teeth as she braced herself, sucking in a breath and giving him a curt nod. He lunged at her, forcing her to block a flurry of blows while being mindful of the uneven terrain. She didn't see the kick coming, and it caught her thigh, making her leg buckle enough it forced her to choose whether to take the next kick or roll out of the way, so she rolled. Broken sticks and rocky debris dug into her back and side, but she ignored the pricks of pain and popped back up to her feet.

Relentless, Isaac came at her again, landing a palm strike on her good shoulder before she'd fully reoriented herself, sending her sprawling backward. She managed to turn the fall into something useful, tucking herself into a roll before snapping her foot out at his ankles. He jumped over her attempted sweep and aimed a kick at her midsection, forcing her to roll again.

Her shoulder still ached, but apparently—according to the asari doctor he took her to the week before—the mesh completely dissolved and the bone healed. The doctor warned her it very likely would continue to ache for quite some time, especially with strenuous activity, but she should definitely exercise and use it regularly unless the pain shifted from aching to sharp and shooting. The damage to her abdomen likewise mended, but it might continue to cause her some discomfort for a while longer, too.

Despite knowing for certain the Alliance and Cerberus worked together on some sick-ass, super soldier program, Isaac wouldn't talk about it with her, insisting she just needed to focus on getting her head on straight for the time being. She had zero clues as to what he planned to do—if anything—with the information they'd gathered. Thanks to Avalina and the turian couple back on Earth, they'd secured the locations for two different Cerberus facilities, and Jasmine wanted nothing more than to wipe those facilities out of existence.

Well … that and get high. God, she wanted to get high.

Which was _so_ not going to happen. Even if she intended to—which she didn't—Isaac and Thane both watched her like hawks. Thane even made damn sure she took her supplements every four hours on the dot, going so far as to wake her up in the middle of the night for the next dose. She didn't even _think_ about using him to get high until he started shoving prophylactic pills down her throat at all hours of the day and night. The stims were long out of her system, but she still heard them in the back of her mind, a new voice to join the sweet nothings red sand whispered in her ear for years.

Avalina came out every couple of days to visit and work with Jasmine on learning to detect, disarm, and set a variety of traps. Although Jasmine never directly said so, Avalina seemed to pick up easily enough who Isaac was to Jasmine and began to treat him with a modicum of deference when it came time to teach her new skills. Had it been Leon instead, it probably would've pissed her off, but she didn't mind so much with Isaac. God knew she was lucky as fuck the man didn't abandon her, let alone turn her ass in several times over since becoming her handler.

* * *

Thane watched from the porch as Jasmine and Isaac sparred. They'd been on Lusia for just over two weeks, and in that time alone, he'd seen her skills at hand-to-hand combat greatly improve—though she didn't seem to realize it herself with as much as she complained about being bested. She fought hard, though—not just in her training, but with remaining sober—and she looked so much better for her efforts. Once again, her skin glowed and mischief danced in her eyes. She'd started to laugh again over the last few days, the sound soothing the ache in his soul, and when they made love, her ribs and hip bones no longer stood out so prominently against her skin. He hated to think what the drugs might've done to her if he'd allowed it to continue unchallenged.

Although Isaac kept discussions of Cerberus away from Jasmine, for the time being, he'd begun strategizing with Thane while she slept or worked with Avalina. It seemed he felt every bit as devoted to putting an end to Cerberus' horrendous experimentations as Jasmine, and he wanted Thane's assistance—which he felt more than happy to provide, free of charge considering the significant loss of innocent lives involved. At least he told himself he agreed for the sake of the innocents and not simply because it meant being with Jasmine and helping to keep her safe. Isaac agreed to Avalina's offer of aid, as well, and Jasmine mentioned on a couple of occasions that Ares—though she referred to him as 'Nemos' around Isaac—expressed an interest in helping to take down Cerberus should she decide on the particular course of action.

Thane realized their time on Lusia wasn't just about helping Jasmine to recover, but also about preparing her for what was to come. Perhaps to prepare them _all_ for what was to come.

* * *

He delighted in the sound of her bark of laughter as she landed the fourth strike on him that day alone. Indeed, she learned quickly, and it made him wonder just how deadly she'd be if she'd begun her training as a child as he did. Still, he worried about her. Worried about her safety facing Cerberus, worried about her falling into old habits, and worried about what learning the Alliance wasn't as good and honest as she'd believed did to her.

"Sunshine," Isaac said, walking out of the cabin, "I need you to pack up, we've been assigned a job on the Citadel."

Thane stopped, taking a step back from Jasmine and turning to the side as he tucked his hands behind his back, signaling the end of their sparring match. She moved to the foot of the stairs and picked up the towel she'd left draped over the railing. Wiping the sweat from her face and neck, she didn't say anything for several, long seconds.

"What's up?" Isaac arched an eyebrow.

Letting out a heavy sigh, she looked up at her handler. "I'm not so sure I want to work for the Alliance anymore."

Isaac moved down two steps and sat on the porch, resting his elbows on his bent knees. "You're still under contract, Jasmine. If you go AWOL, they'll be looking for you."

"I know," she said, looking down at the ground and running the towel over her face again before wrapping it around her neck. Sitting down on the porch next to him, she laced her fingers and kept her gaze down. "It'll be up soon, though. I've been thinking about leaving when it expires since the way they handled shit with Leon … but now, with this Cerberus crap …. I don't want to leave you behind, Bossman, but I can't stand the idea of being a part of something that's even a little responsible for shit as sick as this insanity with Cerberus. I don't know what it'll mean for you and me, though."

Feeling as if he shouldn't intrude on the conversation at hand, Thane quietly excused himself. Brushing his fingertips over her shoulder in a show of silent support as he moved past her, he went inside. Avalina sat inside at the dining table, a mug of _bla'ada_ in her hand. She looked up and smiled at him as he approached and took the seat across from her.

Sipping from her cup before setting it down, Avalina said, "I was watching from the window. She is quite skilled, perhaps you hold back too much with her."

He chuckled, bracing his elbows on the table and clasped his hands together in front of his face. "I'm sure she would agree, but I hold back less and less each day. I don't wish to overwhelm or discourage her when she's already struggling in her mind to come to terms with other matters."

"This woman, Karin, she was like a mother to Jasmine, wasn't she?" She picked her cup up again, letting it hover in front of her mouth while she watched him.

"Indeed." He lowered his gaze, fighting back the memories of finding her sobbing hysterically as she sat curled in Isaac's lap like a child. "I wasn't aware she'd spoken to you of Karin." Though, he found it pleased him.

Humming, she took a sip from her cup. "She told me about Karin a couple of weeks ago when I found her crying on the back porch. It was quite the enlightening conversation, for both of us. I decided to tell her about Tarava's death and the choices I made after. Her level of insight surprises me, especially for one so young, even for her species. It saddens me, though, as I know such wisdom doesn't come without tragedy and experience."

* * *

Jasmine rested her head against Isaac when he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her into his side. Massive amounts of relief flooded her when he told her no matter what she decided to do with her service contract, he considered her to be one of his, and he didn't intend to cut her out of his life.

"Besides," he said after a moment, turning to rest his chin on top of her head, "we're friends, and we're in this shit too deep to not stick together."

She chuckled and let out a heavy sigh, more of the weight she'd been carrying on her shoulders over the last few weeks slipping away. "So, still no regrets for taking me on?"

"Nah. Don't get me wrong, you're trouble with a capital 'T', but you've got a few redeemable qualities, too."

Snorting, she pinched his side, and he laughed. Pulling back to sit upright again, she let out another sigh. "So, what's this job?"

"Salarian smuggler on the Citadel." Isaac shifted down a couple of steps and leaned back on his elbows, looking up at her. "He works at Citadel Souvenirs and traffics drugs and weapons through the business."

She thought about it for a moment, flipping through her mental list of names and places until something clicked. "Oh. Cool. I might have an in at Citadel Souvenirs if we need it … sorta."

Charles Fairclough aka 'YouDon'tKnow' worked at the store. She'd never met him, but Ares more or less confirmed he'd checked the guy out and fucked him. She mentioned to Ares she might need him for something at some point, but she never really expected for it to ever come up.

"Sorta?" Isaac raised an eyebrow.

She shrugged and leaned back on her palms. "Someone on ' _Assassins Unveiled_ ' works there, but they don't know I know, and I haven't established contact with them outside of the extranet site."

Bobbing his head a little, he asked, "You think you can get them to open a few doors for you or something?"

Pursing her lips, she thought about it for a few more seconds and then nodded. "Probably." Although she thought sending Isaac in to talk to him might work better, she didn't say so, thinking they'd just plan all of it out later. "What about Thane?"

After a moment, Isaac shrugged. "If he wants to go, I'm not going to stop him, but I think he said something last night about receiving a dossier. He might have a job lined up."

She furrowed her brow. "He didn't say anything to me about one."

"There's a lot we haven't talked to you about, Sunshine. We wanted you to stay focused." He pursed his lips, gaze sweeping over her. "But … I think you're ready now."

* * *

She sat on the couch, snuggled in against Thane's side. Isaac sat across from her, and Avalina next to her. They called Theodus into their meeting via Jasmine's laptop and Raúl on Isaac's. She'd considered calling Ares in, too, but she knew damn well he'd be pissed if she just threw him into a conversation with a bunch of other people without time to think about it. She'd reach out to him on the Citadel, once things were all in place, see if he really wanted to join in on the hunt. If he wanted to put up the effort to play nice with everyone, anyway.

"So, we have the most information on the facility located on Gellix thanks to the contact Theodus found us and a little research." Isaac glanced at Theodus, giving him a nod of his head, and Theodus smirked. "We'll be hitting Gellix first. It'll give us a better idea of what to expect from Cerberus, and it appears to be a relatively small facility." He shifted his focus to the asari sitting next to Jasmine. "Avalina uncovered the location for the compound housing Project Evolution as well as some information on four other cells spread throughout the galaxy. Project Evolution is housed on Akuze. There are also bases on Binthu, Nepheron, Chasca, and Benning, but we don't have much information on those, yet." He glanced back and forth between Avalina and Theodus. "If the two of you can work together to uncover more information on those, I'll gladly pay whatever you require."

Taking a deep breath and then clearing this throat, Theodus drew everyone's attention to his screen. "I would like to join this little team of yours, in the flesh, that is. I may not have the fighting skills Avalina brings to the table, but I believe I can aid you in the fight in other ways. Besides, I'm sure you'd much rather have Avalina's attention focused on using her commando skills rather than hacking through Cerberus consoles and locked doors."

Raúl scoffed, and when Jasmine looked his way, she caught him rolling his eyes. "I can easily hack through their consoles and any one of us can unlock a damn door."

"True," Theodus said, honey dripping from his tongue, "but if I'm not mistaken, your skills don't lie solely in hacking, either. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to have everyone _capable_ of combat actually focused on combat? I know nothing of fighting, well, very little. Why not let me focus on the tech while everyone else worries about keeping us alive?"

"Theodus, are you certain?" Thane loosened his grip on Jasmine and sat forward, eyeing the other drell.

Flashing Thane a bright smile, Theodus said, "I'm told I need to get out of my house more often anyway."

Jasmine didn't like the idea, not one bit. He just admitted to not knowing anything about fighting, he'd be a liability. And if something happened to him ….

"Let us take some time to think about it," Isaac said. "We'll let you know before we make a move."

Theodus leaned back in his chair, gently swiveling it from side to side. "Don't take too long. I have a few toys I've been wanting to try out, but I'll need some time to make sure they're ready to go."

"I have another friend who might be joining us—I haven't talked to him yet—but, I think we'll have more than enough guns between all of us to be able to spare someone to open doors or break into servers or whatever …. There isn't any need for you to be in the middle of a battlefield, too."

He watched her in silence for a moment, a slow smile spreading across his snow-white face. "Your concern is touching, but I _want_ to do this."

"Jasmine and I have a job to tend to before we do anything else," Isaac said.

Thane let out a concerned-sounding sigh and sat back again, lifting his arm for Jasmine to move back in against his side. "As do I."

Isaac bobbed his head. "We'll meet again to finalize the details once we're finished."


	61. Spiders and Flies

**Spiders and Flies**

Thane found himself back on Omega, once again watching Dr. Solus from the shadows of the clinic. He stayed there for quite some time, but as soon as the room cleared, the salarian turned toward Thane's hiding place, a bright smile on his face. Stepping out of the shadows, Thane dipped his head to the doctor.

"Glad you're here. Much to talk about. Office private." Apparently more at ease with Thane since his last visit, Dr. Solus pivoted on his heel, turning his back to Thane and started walking, leaving Thane to either follow or not.

Thane followed. He didn't know with certainty what the doctor wanted to speak with him about, or why he'd insisted it happen in person, but Corlina's crazed eyes staring back at him in the attached dossier was enough to tempt Thane to heed the doctor's summons. Although it wasn't entirely clear what Dr. Solus intended by sending him the dossier, there remained a certain aura of responsibility surrounding anything related to Sahnira which he couldn't ignore. He closed the door behind them, gaze roaming over the neatly organized, sterile room and took a seat when the doctor waved his hand at a chair.

Dr. Solus sat down behind the desk and opened his laptop, taking a moment to log in and pull up whatever he wanted to share with Thane before meeting his gaze again. "Corlina escaped institution on Thessia. Killed four asari and stole skycar. Believed to still be on Thessia. Reports of asari acting strangely in Telathanda, unearthing something in ancient ruins, talking to self, aggressive towards concerned locals."

"I … I see." Thane blinked, disturbed by the revelation but still uncertain why the doctor called on him. "Are the asari not doing anything?"

"Can't. Telathanda believed to be sacred ground, mortals forbidden. Spilling blood on sacred ground also forbidden." Turning the laptop around, Dr. Solus showed Thane aerial images of the ruins. "No asari will go after her."

Collapsing stone buildings filled the area, many overgrown with vines, others dislodged by tree roots. In the middle of the ruins, an asari stood, surrounded by a dome of biotic energy, debris floating around her as she funneled it away from something dark and jagged protruding from the ground. There was no way to verify the asari's identity from the images alone, but his instincts told him it could be no one else.

"What would you have me do?" Thane asked, tearing his gaze away from the images to look at the salarian once more.

Dr. Solus spread his hands. "Corlina danger to self and others. Isolation and confinement failed. Could attempt to recapture her, turn her over to Thessian authorities, but will likely escape again. Could kill her. Choice is yours. Will be paid either way." He blinked both sets of eyelids. "Study of corpse could prove useful."

* * *

Jasmine waited down the hall next to the door of an empty apartment, feeling every bit like a spider perched on its web, waiting for its prey to arrive. She'd watched Charles from a distance for a couple of days while he worked, trying to get a feel for whether or not the guy liked women, too, or just other men. If he was only interested in men, it might be a little difficult for her to weasel her way into his life, in which case, she'd send Isaac. 'YouDon'tKnow' certainly seemed to like both men and women on ' _Assassins Unveiled_ ', but it didn't necessarily mean he did in real life.

She couldn't get a solid read on him, though. His customer service skills were stellar, and he flashed the same smile at everyone who walked through the door, no matter species or sex. So, she decided she'd just have to meet him in person, up close and personal, away from his job. She'd considered calling Ares to ask how best to approach Charles since Ares had some experience with him, but she decided against it. She didn't want to reach out to the turian until ready to present him with the gift of getting the chance to shoot people and blow shit up.

Charles turned a corner and headed down the hall, so she started walking toward him. He stopped in front of his door and opened his omni-tool, still not seeming to pick up on her presence, so she let her footsteps fall a little heavier. Turning his head, he looked at her, and then he _looked_ at her.

 _Gotcha._

The smile she gave him when he met her gaze actually felt genuine. There was something nice and even relaxing about being back on the job. Thoughts of Karin and stims temporarily locked away while she began her hunt. And … he was cute, nothing over-the-top spectacular, but cute; tall and lean, blond hair and blue eyes. Then he smiled, not the smile he used at work, but a full on grin.

 _Woah._

She blinked a few times, regaining her composure. Okay, so he definitely fell into the 'hot' category. He started to turn his attention away from her, so she made her move: tripping over her own feet, she threw herself to the floor, crying out as if in shock and pain. Pulling herself up to sitting, she grabbed her ankle and rocked back and forth. Letting the words slip past her lips in a hiss, she said, "Ow. Ow. Ow."

"Are you alright?" he asked a moment later, voice wary yet concerned.

" _Will you walk into my parlor?" said the Spider to the Fly._

Squeezing a couple of tears out, she turned to look up at him, adding a little quiver to her voice. "I think I sprained my ankle."

"Do you … should I call a doctor or something?" Lowering his arm, omni-tool still open, he moved a little closer.

"Um … no. I think I'll be alright." Pulling her 'good' leg beneath her, she winced and let out a whimper as she started to push herself up.

"Here, let me help you," he said, closing in on her and holding out his hands.

She fought back a smirk as he bent down, sliding his hands around her and lending her support. When she got to her feet, and he didn't let go, she knew for sure she had him.

* * *

"So, Charles," she said as she put the cap back on the bottle of water he gave her to swallow down some over the counter pain relievers—utter crap which wouldn't do a single fucking thing to get her high, let alone really help if she were truly hurting. It was okay, though, she'd gotten clean again and intended to stay that way. At least it was what she needed to keep telling herself.

 _Fake it 'til you make it._

"What do you do?" Eyeing his work uniform, 'Citadel Souvenirs' clearly emblazoned on the chest, she raised an eyebrow.

He'd stayed in the kitchen on the opposite side of the breakfast bar from her after getting her an ice pack and pain relievers. Leaning against the far counter, it seemed as if he did his best to keep plenty of space and solid objects between them. She found it curious and wondered if it was just habit—after all, he worked behind a counter all day—or if there was something about her which put him on edge. Maybe he just wasn't used to having company, strangers invading his personal space. If she had to guess, judging by the size of the massive vid screen and the worn out furniture in the living room, the man spent far too much time at home alone, sitting on his ass and watching vids.

"Uh, I work at Citadel Souvenirs." He reached in his pocket, and she tracked the movement with her peripherals until his hand reappeared with a pack of cigarettes. "What about you?"

"I'm … between jobs at the moment," she said, adding a little regret to her voice as she turned her attention to the beautiful, Alaskan Malamute pup sitting next to her stool and staring up at her. "What's Citadel Souvenirs like?" she asked, glancing back up at him and giving him a chagrined smile. "They hiring?"

He chuckled and lit a black, filtered cigarette, the scent of cloves filling the air. "They just hired someone, actually. A few weeks ago."

"That's too bad." Sticking out her lower lip, she shrugged. "Do you like it there?"

"It's not _terrible_." Seeming a little more relaxed, he moved closer, leaning against the breakfast bar across from her and pulled an ashtray closer.

"' _Tis the prettiest little parlor that you ever did spy; the way into my parlor is up a winding stair, and I've a many curious things to show when you are there."_

He gave her the same, wide, perfect-teeth grin he'd shown her out in the hallway, and it momentarily stunned her once again. Judging by the way one side of his mouth lifted a little higher, he knew damn well the effect his smile had on women, and he wasn't opposed to using it to his advantage. She needed to be careful, there was more to him than met the eye, something dark and familiar there, lurking just beneath the surface. She shifted a little, letting her hand drop down to rest on top of her opened bag. She'd counted on him helping her up after her 'fall', so she'd stowed her pistol in her bag instead of holstering it at her back where he might notice. If she needed to, if he did something stupid, she'd have it in her hand and pointed at him in a heartbeat.

"I don't think I've seen you here before. Do you live here?" He took a drag from his cigarette, blowing the thick, cloying smoke toward the ceiling, gaze never leaving her.

"Maybe." She flashed her best smile at him, feeling as if she'd just entered some sort of flirt war with the guy without even meaning to. But, if it got her where she needed to be …. "I was looking at the vacant apartment down the hall."

"Yeah?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah." Leaning over the bar a little, she let her lip twitch with a suppressed smirk when his gaze drifted right down to her accented cleavage. "What do you think about these apartments? Do you recommend them?"

"Uh …" Whatever he meant to say got cut off by the sound of the door opening, and they both turned to look.

Jasmine slipped her hand deeper into her bag, wrapping her fingers around her pistol's grip. She didn't find anything to indicate he didn't live alone; only his name appeared on the lease, and the bills were all in his name, too. A turian appeared in the kitchen doorway, and it only took Jasmine a second to recognize Ares despite the prosthetics and paint.

Mandibles snapping against his jaw as his gaze instantly found and locked onto her, he snarled, and before she moved past the moment of surprise, he aimed a gun right between her eyes. "What the fuck are you doing here?" Voice full of malice, his mandibles clicked against his face as he flicked them.

 _Fuck me._

She didn't say anything. Despite suddenly feeling _very_ pissed off, she fought to cling to her role of 'Alexa', hoping Ares would take a hint and play along, clean up the heap of shit he just dropped at her feet. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Charles push away from the bar, wide-eyed as he edged closer to Ares—the turian already moving closer to him, too. She blinked and relaxed her jaw, letting her lips part in shock and fear fill her eyes.

She raised her hands, moving slowly, showing Ares her empty palms. "I—I—I fell, outside." She shook her head and licked her lips. "I just came in for an ice pack. I don't understand …."

Glancing back at Charles, she gave him a look of confusion, using her eyes to plead with him to intervene on her behalf. She'd lost him, though. Permanently. Whatever the fuck went on there, the guy clearly trusted Ares' judgment completely. Ares put himself between Jasmine and Charles, which created a whole new mind fuck for Jasmine to consider another time when the turian _wasn't_ pointing a goddamn gun at her.

"Cut the shit," Ares said with a growl. His gaze flicked back to Charles for just a brief second before landing on her again, aim never wavering. "What has she asked you? What have you said to her?"

"I … I don't know." Half his face visible from behind the turian, Charles licked his lips and shook his head. "We just talked about work …."

Irritated as all hell, she let out a loud scoff and rolled her eyes. "Oh, for fuck's sake. Put your gun away, I'm not here for you _or_ him." Shaking her head, she huffed and narrowed her eyes at Ares, willing a hole through his thick skull. "Jesus Christ, I told you I might need him some time."

"Are you alone?" Ares' gaze bore through her as if he could stare her into telling the truth … as if he expected her to lie.

 _That hurts._

Making her annoyance clear, she raised an eyebrow. "Can you be more specific?"

"Who the hell is she? What's … _what the fuck_?" Charles' voice raised an octave or two at the end, and under different circumstances, she might've found it amusing. He jerked his hand out towards her and then at Ares' gun.

Growling and flaring his mandibles, Ares didn't acknowledge Charles' question, just kept his gaze locked on Jasmine. "I don't think I need to spell it out." Using his free hand, he reached behind him, and a moment later, Charles started backing up toward the kitchen door, Ares moving with him—letting him keep eyes on the exits _and_ her with minimal effort. "You aren't one to work alone."

She clenched her jaw, gaze shifting pointedly to Charles. "Does he know you? I mean, _really_ know you?" Unable to actually answer his question without compromising whatever identity he'd set up with Charles, she also really couldn't just _ignore_ it while he had a _fucking gun_ pointed at her. Jesus fuck, besides, did he really expect her to spill her guts in front of a _civilian_?

Flicking his mandibles, they clacked against his jaw as he answered, voice low and growing as impatient as she felt. "Better than you do, now answer my fucking question."

Rolling her eyes, she didn't miss the movement as Charles stuck his hand in his pocket. "Ray's on the Citadel. He knows I'm working a lead, but not who or where." Christ, she wanted to slap Ares, and she swore to God, if Charles pulled out a weapon, _someone_ was getting shot.

"And the other one?" Ares' words rode his agitated snarl through his mouth plates.

"Off on his own job," she said, clenching her jaw and blowing out a heavy breath, "now put the fucking gun away. _Asshole_."

Ares gave Charles a chastising look and flicked his mandibles before holstering his weapon with a chuff. He remained standing between Jasmine and Charles, though, an interesting fact she filed away for later consideration. Seeming to avoid Ares' gaze, Charles stooped down and picked up the dog, holding her against his chest as he stood straight again.

"Thank you," Jasmine said, letting out a light huff, her mood already starting to shift. A slow smile crossed her face, and she softened her tone. "It's good to see you, too."

 _But you're still an asshole._

Charles let out an exasperated-sounding sigh. "Will somebody please tell me _what the fuck_ is going on here?"

* * *

Ares' arrival might've thrown a wrench in her plans, but things worked out even better. Forced to drop pretenses, she found Charles a willing participant in her quest for info on Werin Menoko. He didn't have a whole lot he could tell her, but he gave her enough to work with. Some of it she already knew, but she'd asked anyway to test the waters, making sure he spoke the truth. He even forwarded her a copy of his work schedule; her target, worked the same days as Charles, just on a different shift.

She stayed sitting at the breakfast bar, her gaze shifting back and forth between the two men as she hummed. The pieces fell into place, mind finally free of adrenaline making sense of the scene in front of her. Ares' reaction wasn't about her showing up unexpectedly, no, it was about her showing up at _Charles'_ apartment in specific. That much she'd figured out pretty quickly. At first, she just assumed he didn't want to share a contact … or a toy, depending on how exactly he viewed Charles … but then she realized Ares actually had _feelings_ for him.

Feeling like she'd unsuspectedly stepped into a minefield and only just realized her predicament, she sucked on her teeth and said, "Shit." She glanced back at Ares where he'd taken up residence leaning against a counter near the sink. "I seriously didn't know …."

Even though things mellowed out and they were being civil, it felt vital he understood she truly had no intention of showing up someplace she truly wasn't welcomed. It'd be like her walking into Geoffrey's and finding Ares' sitting at the dining room table. She'd have pulled a gun on him, too. Hell, she's damn lucky he didn't shoot first and ask questions later, which really seemed more his style judging from her experiences with him.

Ares shrugged. "I'll take it as a compliment."

Letting herself relax, dropping the cloak of an assassin's mindset for the time being—the best she could, anyway—she turned her attention back to Charles. She didn't trust him, of course—and really, why should she, they'd just met—but she did trust Ares. Mostly. If her showing up there damaged his trust, then maybe making nice with Charles would be a way to make repairs. "My name's Jasmine."

"Jasmine," he repeated, a solemn look on his face as he nodded. Clearly, he understood the weight of the confession. "It's nice to meet you."

"You, too," she said with a smirk and stood. Rounding the doorway to the small kitchen, she met Charles' gaze again as he shifted to face her, deciding to go ahead and answer a question he'd asked her earlier. "As for Werin … he moonlights as a smuggler. Drugs, mostly, but weapons, too." She looked at Ares. "Do I get to come hug you now, or are you going to pull your gun on me again?"

Humming, Ares pushed off the counter to stand up straight. "At least you asked." Giving her a jerk of his head, he stuck his cigarette in his mouth.

"Shut up, you love me." Grinning, she crossed the floor, passing between Charles and Ares for a brief second. She reached up, and Ares stepped into her embrace, his hands sliding around the small of her back. Resting her hands on his shoulders—because really, it was the best she could manage—she leaned into him. "I forgot how freakishly tall you are."

Charles let out a snort.

"And I forgot how freakishly small you are," Ares said, a low rumble vibrating through him and into her.

Grinning, she stepped back and waggled her fingers at his cigarette. "I'm not freakishly small; I'm compact and adorable."

He hummed and flicked a mandible as he righted himself, taking his cigarette from his mouth to hold out to her. She smiled, glad to see they were still on good terms, all things considered, and took the cigarette from his fingers. She took a couple of small drags, rolling the smoke around on her tongue before handing it back and turning to lean against the counter next to him. Charles watched them, a hint of jealousy in his eyes as his gaze moved back and forth between the two of them. He averted his gaze and pushed himself up to sit on the bar.

Glancing up at Ares, she smirked. "He's cute."

Ares snorted. "Cute?"

Drawing her brows in, she looked at him like he'd gone insane. "Yeah. Really cute. And with a smile like _that_ …" She turned her gaze back to Charles. "… damn."

How the hell Ares could be banging the guy and _not_ see how attractive he was, she didn't even begin to understand. But then again, there was a lot about the turian's personality she didn't quite get. Obviously, there remained a lot about her which he didn't understand, either.

Charles blushed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Uh, thanks?"

"You're welcome," she said with a shit-eating grin, ignoring Ares' grunt.

 _He's going to be fun. I can see why Ares likes him._

* * *

Jasmine convinced Ares and Charles to go to _Le Bleu_ with her, which really wasn't hard to do. Admittedly, her intentions were twofold: she wanted to spend time with Ares, but she also wanted to get a better feel for Charles. He seemed nice enough—curious, but nice. She supposed it shouldn't surprise her, after all, he frequented ' _Assassins Unveiled_ ' which pretty much seemed like a site for assassin groupies. Well, and for assassins to pose as assassin groupies.

The way he watched her felt mildly unnerving sometimes, though, and she just couldn't quite put her finger on _why_. Maybe it was just because he remained more or less an unknown quantity, and despite feeling like she trusted Ares, with Charles there, she felt outnumbered. Which, she guessed, she deserved considering the first time they met, Thane party-crashed and the second time, she sprung Isaac on Ares. He seemed more alert, focused, outside of his apartment and away from work. His gaze shifted every few seconds seeming to take in the ebb and flow of the crowd just as she and Ares did, though he wasn't nearly as subtle.

Once she'd made the connection, she couldn't _not_ see all the little ways Ares made it clear Charles _belonged_ to him. Everything from the proximity he kept to the man to where he'd encouraged Charles to sit screamed of a need to protect and a willingness to tear apart any threat to Charles. Which actually put Jasmine _more_ at ease because it seemed Ares was willing to accept her as a friend and not a foe, allowing her to be near and interact with the man he loved.

"So … Jasmine … how long are you on the Citadel for? Is that a thing I can ask?" Charles watched her, eyebrow raised in question.

Shoving a fry in her mouth, she shrugged. "Until the job's done and I get told where I'm needed next." It wasn't entirely true. She already knew her next destination, and there was a damn good chance Ares would be going with her. She glanced at the turian before looking back at her plate.

"You don't even know how long it'll be?" Charles asked, voice carrying a hint of incredulity.

"Nope." She glanced at Ares again, wondering just how much of his world he shared with Charles. "That can't be much of a surprise for you?" she asked, turning her attention back to the man.

Shrugging, Charles shook his head. "Not really."

"She doesn't have as much leeway as I do," Ares said, holding a piece of bloody meat in front of him.

Charles picked at his fries, seeming to consider Ares' words before he asked, "So, you work for someone else?"

"Yep." She took a drink of her iced tea holding onto the glass for a moment. The questions were starting to make her a little uncomfortable, but she understood why he asked them.

"And they tell you who to kill?" He raised an eyebrow and took a bite of his cheeseburger.

 _Seriously?_

Turning her attention to him fully, she blinked and put her cup down, gaze flicking over their surroundings. She looked back at him, her face a mask of complete neutrality and her voice dry as she said, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Snorting, Charles looked at Ares and shook his head before glancing back at her. "Right … guess you're not as chill about it, either."

 _Jesus Christ, are you fucking kidding me?_

"You can be assured that she's not likely to answer questions I wouldn't." Ares stuck a chunk of steak in his mouth.

 _Or be okay with you talking about killing people while we're in the middle of the goddamn Citadel._

"Especially poorly worded questions in public." She bit into her cheeseburger, chewing as she watched Charles.

A part of her wanted to reach across the table and cuff the back of his head. Probably the same part of her that _really_ wanted to go check out the warehouse where she killed Ryan Archer to see if it _happened_ to still have any red sand laying around. Letting out an inward sigh, she pushed the thought away and turned her attention back to Charles. It wouldn't hurt—much—to give the guy something to slake his curiosity. She trusted Ares to keep him from running his mouth to anyone. Maybe then he'd shut up and eat, or at least talk about something else.

 _Jesus Christ, I've turned into such a cranky bitch._

Taking a drink, she washed her food down before she said, "I don't pick my assignment the way he does." She scoffed. "I don't get paid as well, either."

"Although her pension plans are probably better," Ares added with a snort before taking a drink of his beer.

A bark of laughter tore through her throat, and she pushed hair back behind her ear. She'd left it down to help lure Charles in and forgot to pull it up again before they left. It annoyed the hell out of her while she ate, but she didn't feel like messing with it right then. "Probably. If I manage to stick around that long."

 _Which I won't. I'm done. Soooooo fucking done with the Alliance._

"Don't like your boss?" Charles asked with a soft chuckle.

Channeling her inner Isaac, she bobbed her head and picked up a French fry. "Something like that."

Ares snorted but didn't say anything, just shoved more food in his mouth. She wondered if he thought she meant Isaac or the Alliance but it didn't really matter. He'd gotten along well enough with Isaac, so it didn't seem likely he'd be rooting for her to ditch her handler. The Alliance on the other hand ….

"How _is_ work at Citadel Souvenirs?" She looked up at Charles again and smirked. "Maybe I'll quit and come work with you."

He scoffed and returned her smirk. "Shitty. But with your skills … I'm sure you could be running the place in weeks."

"No offense," she said, letting out a soft chuckle, "but I'm pretty sure I'd go stir crazy within a week." No way in hell would she be content working a customer service job, not to mention the pay couldn't compare.

 _It'd thrill Thane, though._

"That's a bit optimistic." Ares finished off his first plate and shoved it aside before dragging the second one over in front of him. "I've seen the place. You wouldn't make it that long."

"Oh, ye of little faith." She picked up her glass again and leaned back, stretching her legs out to prop them on the chair between her and Ares. "I'd last _at least_ a week." She chuckled when his only response was a dubious grunt around a mouthful of food.

"So, how'd you two meet?" Charles asked Ares, and damn it all if his eyes didn't light up every time he looked at the turian.

Humming and swallowing, Ares said, "Hot, young, singles dating site."

She snorted, drawing Charles' attention back to her, and she tilted her head a little as she looked at him. "The same way you met him. Just less fucking involved. At least, I assume there was fucking involved with you. He wouldn't say for sure."

Hopefully, adding in the 'less fucking' would help ease the guy's mind about her relationship with Ares. Sure, they flirted with each other, but it didn't _mean_ anything, just for fun. She'd never slept with Ares and never planned to. Not to say the idea didn't appeal to her on some level, but she loved Thane, and he was all she needed. All she wanted.

After sharing a look with Ares, Charles grinned. "There was definitely fucking involved." He shoved a fry in his mouth and glanced at Ares again. "Still a lot of fucking involved."

She smiled, getting a kick out of the bawdy hint to Charles' personality, and shifted her gaze to Ares. "Good. Who doesn't love a good fuck?"

He flicked a mandible at her. "They'd have to be insane."

Laughing, she put down her glass and returned to her plate. "Yes, yes they would."

"Can I ask where you're from?" Charles' voice carried a hint of hesitancy as if he expected to be reprimanded again.

"You can ask whatever you want." Giving him a sideways glance, she shrugged. "But I may or may not give you the answer you want."

He huffed but seemed undeterred as he said, "Okay. Where are you from?"

Sitting back in her chair, she pursed her lips and studied him for a moment, taking his measure again. "You first?" She wanted to see if he was willing to give as much as he asked for, how trusting _he_ actually was since he asked her to trust him.

"Ferris Fields." The corner of his eye twitched, pupils dilating a hair, skin flushing ever so faintly around his ears, and he shrugged.

Narrowing her eyes a little, she smirked despite feeling a little disappointed. "Liar."

Ares sighed and set his fork down, and she turned her head just enough to acknowledge him without taking her gaze off of Charles. "Don't ask something you aren't willing to give your own answer to," he said, exasperation making his gravelly voice deeper.

Taking in a couple of heavy breaths, Charles let the last one out slowly and said, "Shanxi."

She laughed and lifted an eyebrow. "Shanxi? No shit? And you're with a turian?"

 _I guess it makes sense … what was it Ares said? He toured Shanxi and owed someone a dog? Aw. That's actually really sweet. He'll probably shoot me if I say it out loud, though._

"No shit." Charles reached up and rubbed the back of his neck, apparently uncomfortable with her reaction. He seemed to wear his emotions on his sleeve, broadcasting them loud and easy, so what was it about him that he kept hidden from her prying eyes?

Snorting, Ares hummed, and Jasmine looked at him. "And my father was in the war. What does that have to do with anything?"

Narrowing her eyes again, she watched Ares for a second before saying, "I can't tell if you're lying or not, but either way, you know damn well what it has to do with anything." She shrugged, tilting her head toward her shoulder and smiled. "Not saying I personally mind, I've slept with a few turians myself."

Chuckling, he flicked a mandible at her in a smirk. "I take it as a personal victory to still be able to have you guessing whether or not I'm lying about shit."

She grumbled and threw a French fry at him. "Shut up. Give me enough time, I'll have you figured out."

Letting out a soft sigh, she realized just how much she'd needed a relaxed night with a friend—a friend who _didn't_ know she'd relapsed but probably wouldn't be hawking over her even if he did. A friend who _didn't_ know she'd just lost a second mother but totally wouldn't look at her with pity-filled eyes either way.

She felt almost normal again.

"So, I answered." Charles raised an eyebrow at her, something about it seemed challenging as much as inquisitive.

"Earth." She pursed her lips. "You should know, the more you learn about me, though, the more dangerous it is for you." She glanced at Ares. "I trust him, and I'm willing to extend some of it to you," she turned her gaze back on Charles, "but you really should pick your questions wisely. As we've already said, I work for someone else."

Sitting back in his chair, Ares turned his attention to Charles. "She's right. Even if she chooses to lie to you, it's still dangerous because _you'd_ think it's truth."

Charles dropped his gaze to his plate, picking at his fries while he chewed on the corner of his lip. Finally, he glanced back up at Ares. "Are you _warning_ me or _telling_ me to stop asking?"

"I'm warning you not to be an idiot." Pulling out his pack of cigarettes, Ares shook one loose and lit it. "You've known me long enough, know what questions I'll answer, so you know what's too risky to ask."

Charles let out a deep breath and pushed his plate away. Something about his expression tugged at Jasmine's heartstrings a little. He looked lost and deflated, and somehow, in the moment, he reminded her of Rift. She thought Ares probably didn't tell Charles all too much about his job, and she wondered if it made Charles feel like he wasn't really a part of Ares' life. She kind of understood; it'd always been difficult keeping the truth of her profession from Karin and the kids. It made her feel more like an outsider looking in than she ever did before joining the Phantoms.

Lighting his own cigarette, Charles took a heavy drag before saying, "Alright." A moment later, he looked at her again.

She took a sip of her tea and gave him a soft smile. "I tell you what … I won't lie to you. I'll just tell you I don't want to answer something if you go too far. Leave it at that, and we'll be good. Alright?"

He smiled and nodded, though it didn't seem heartfelt. "Alright."

"So, what's new?" she asked, turning her attention back to Ares.

He hummed around a drag off his cigarette and blew it out. "Broke a racist's arm."

She snorted and grinned, utterly unsurprised to hear his go-to news be something violent. "Nice. Too bad I wasn't around to see it. Care to share with the rest of the class?"

"Story's mostly his," Ares said, jerking his chin toward Charles. "I wasn't here for the start of it, just to finish it."

Charles took a drag, letting the smoke seep out from between his barely parted lips. "A turian friend of mine took me to a mostly turian gym to teach me fighting techniques. The owner fought in the war and has an issue with humans. Kept giving me shit, said the only reason he even let me be there is because I'm bonded to another turian."

 _Bonded! Woah. Wait, what?_

Her eyes widened, and it took her a second to pull herself together. Holy shit. She did _not_ expect to hear _that_ come out of his mouth. Bonded? Wow. She fought the urge to gape at Ares, keeping her gaze steady on Charles, forcing her face back into a neutral expression.

He hesitated a moment before continuing, "So … anyway, he threw me to the mat one day after I smarted off to him and told me he'd make me and Ares his bitch." Lips barely twitching up in a smirk, something danced in his eyes, wistful and smug as he gave her a nonchalant shrug. "So, when Ares got back, I told him."

It took everything she had not to laugh her ass off, but she didn't even try to fight back the grin. Yeah, she liked Charles, even if something seemed off about him, and the blasé delivery of his story just made her night. Glancing at Ares, she lifted an eyebrow. "I take it you didn't just walk into the gym and break the guy's arm."

"Of course not," Ares said, sounding slightly affronted—which she felt pretty sure was a load of shit. "I gave him the chance to make me his bitch." He took a drag while she tossed her head back, no longer able to contain the laughter. Blowing the smoke out slowly, voice dry, he said, "I was severely let down."

When she got control of herself again, she wiped her eyes and sighed. "Why aren't _you_ teaching him to fight?"

"I taught him what I could." Ares hummed and flicked ash onto his empty plate. "But there's only so much I can teach not only a human but one that's much shorter than I am. Cammus is much more suited to teaching him."

Jasmine detected something else there, some underlying thread which made his statement feel false to her. She'd been taught by someone much taller and much larger than her, and Cammus—assuming it was the Cammus who worked at Citadel Souvenirs—was as much turian as Ares. Not to mention, Charles didn't move as if he'd had any real training at all. So … why did Ares _really_ want to entrust Charles' training to someone else?

 _Maybe he's afraid he'll accidentally hurt Charles?_

"Cammus," she repeated and glanced at Charles, "your coworker?"

Charles just nodded.

"Hmmm." She studied him for a moment, noting the way he shifted under her gaze as if something about her made him uncomfortable, and yet, he didn't _exactly_ seem afraid of her, either. "Might be easier for you to start with human techniques."

Ares let out a rumble of interest but didn't say anything.

Charles shrugged. "I don't actually know a whole lot of humans, my circle of friends is pretty small."

Glancing at Ares, she raised a brow. If Charles really wanted to learn and didn't have another human around to teach him, she didn't really mind helping out a little—if the guy could handle her working so closely with her. There wasn't a whole lot she couldn't show him. Obviously, she couldn't promise him anything extensive since she wouldn't be on the Citadel forever, but she did visit frequently enough. Ares shrugged at her unspoken question, tilting his head at Charles.

She let her gaze roam over Charles again, but he seemed too preoccupied with her and Ares' unspoken conversation to mind. "I can teach you a few things while I'm on the Citadel if you want."

"Seriously?" He leaned a little closer to her, a fervent look sparking to life in his wide eyes. "Just fighting?"

Not expecting the question, she raised an eyebrow. "Are you asking for something else?"

Glancing at Ares, he licked his lips before turning his attention back to her. "Whatever you're willing to teach me."

 _Oh me, oh my, is he a spider or a fly?_

* * *

" _ **Will you walk into my parlour?" said the Spider to the Fly, 'Tis the prettiest little parlour that ever you did spy; The way into my parlour is up a winding stair, And I've a many curious things to show when you are there." - The Spider and the Fly by Mary Howitt.**_


	62. Haunting Whispers

**Haunting Whispers**

"Do you have something I can change into?" Jasmine asked, leaning against the breakfast bar in Charles' apartment.

She'd slipped away long enough to call Isaac and told him she planned to spend the evening hanging out with Nemos and would catch up with him later. The look in his eyes spoke volumes about the broken trust between them, but he didn't argue with her, just told her to stay safe and call him if she needed _anything_. And, of course, by 'anything' he meant if she felt like she might slip up again and use. She'd given him a reassuring smile and told him not to worry about her, throwing in a teasing 'Dad' for good measure.

Charles wrinkled his nose, looking her over from head to toe. Finally, he offered, "Sweats and a tank top?"

She felt pretty sure anything else he owned would fall right off of her. Hell, the sweats would, too, if they didn't have a drawstring. He wasn't exactly a big guy, but he stood a lot taller and wider than her, for sure.

"Perfect," she said, giving him a smile.

Waving his hand, he started down the hall, and she followed after him. Taking in as many details about the place as possible, she didn't really see much of anything to indicate Ares made the place home. Which, of course, didn't mean he _didn't_ stay there when not working. She stopped in the doorway when Charles opened the door to his bedroom; the room didn't have a whole lot, but it looked lived in. She realized she hadn't seen a single photograph of anyone in the place, making her wonder about the man's family.

Opening his dresser, he pulled out some clothes, and she moved closer to take them from him. "Do you want to change in here or the bathroom?" he asked.

She shrugged and tossed the clothes on his bed before sitting down next to them and unzipping her boots. "Here's fine." She glanced at him, taking in what he wore. "It's good you changed into sweats, too, but you should ditch your shirt if you're comfortable. It'll let me see your movements easier." Dropping her boots to the floor, she stood up again.

"Sure." Turning his back to her, he stripped off his shirt and started folding it.

Making quick work of the buttons on her blouse, she tossed it on the bed and started on her jeans. She watched as he put the shirt back in his dresser, and it brought a smile to her face. He only wore it long enough for them to go to _Le Bleu_. Thane probably would've put it in the hamper, but she would've saved it to wear again, too. She probably wouldn't have bothered with folding it, though.

Eyes bugging for a second when he turned back around, he blinked, voice croaking a little as he let out a soft, "Uh …."

"What?" Pulling her pants off, she dropped them next to her shirt. She knew exactly 'what', but it amused her to no end to see his reaction. She forgot sometimes not everyone felt comfortable with nudity or other states of undress. It wasn't like she'd stripped naked, nor did she intend to be. Okay, yeah, her panties weren't exactly opaque, but she'd seen women wearing less on public beaches.

He laughed and shook his head before grinning and yelling back toward the living room, "Ares, your friend's in here getting naked."

"How else is she going to get changed?"

Jasmine chuckled, picking up the pair of sweatpants.

Snorting, Charles shook his head. "I could step out …."

"Why?" She pulled on the sweats, far too long on her, and sat down to roll the legs up. "You shy, Charles?"

"No … but, uh …. Yeah, I'm going to go in there now." He left the room, shaking his head, and she laughed.

Finishing rolling up her pants, she picked up the tank top and stopped for a second, running her fingers over her new scars. She'd showed them to Ares and Charles before they'd left for _Le Bleu_ , and of course, Ares acted utterly unimpressed. She'd told Isaac she thought they looked badass, and she did, but … it did sting a little seeing them there. Letting out a sigh, she pulled the shirt on over her head and stood up, sweeping her hair up into a ponytail as she left the room.

Charles and Ares both sat on barstools seeming to wait for her direction. Ares had cleared the living room floor for them, much as he did when she and he sparred in her apartment the night she awoke in tears from nightmares about her mother's suicide. Admittedly, the way he handled the situation really helped to strengthen her bond with him. She moved out to the middle of the floor and started stretching, bending over and pressing her palms to the floor.

Looking up at Ares, she said, "You should put on something comfortable, too. You're not sticking to the sidelines the whole time." She smirked, fully expecting some back talk in one form or another. "I'm going to teach him a couple of things about turians, too." After hearing about the incident at the gym, she figured it'd be a good thing for him to know.

Ares hummed and grumbled but stood and headed for the bedroom. "Don't wait up for me."

Charles huffed, his gaze lingering on Ares as the turian disappeared before looking back at Jasmine. He didn't even bother to lower his voice when he asked, "He always just listen to you?"

She chuckled and gave him a wry smile. "No, of course not. But he knows I'm right. And I'm _always_ right."

Laughter filling the air around him, he cocked an eyebrow. "That so?"

"Yep." She stood and pulled her heel up behind her, holding it for a few seconds before extending the stretch. Shifting forward to steady her center of gravity, she brought her foot up to her head, suppressing a groan at the pleasantly painful pull of tight muscles. She felt his gaze on her, but she didn't look up or say anything.

"What will we start with?"

"You'll show me what you already know." She switched legs, knowing Ares already had Charles do some stretches while they waited on her to get back to the apartment. "And then I'll go from there."

"I just know turian stuff, really." He shrugged when she glanced at him. "I mean, I've been in fights before, but nothing trained."

"Sure." Lowering her leg, she stretched her left arm behind her head. "You're … twenty-seven, right? Birthday's in a few days, isn't it?"

Wriggling a little on his stool, he seemed a wee bit nervous. "Yeah."

"I'd be surprised if you made it to twenty-eight without ever having been in a fight." She smirked and winked at him, trying to put him at ease.

It seemed to do the trick as he smiled and asked, "How old are you?"

"Almost twenty-six." She switched arms, biting back the urge to hiss at the dull throb and tug of scar tissue.

"You're still hurt," he said, raising an eyebrow.

"Hmmm. Good observational skills. Those will be useful." After a few seconds, she dropped her arm and swung them both back and forth a few times, looking up at him again. "Alright, let's see what you've got."

* * *

He came at his training with determination, and he took criticism and redirection well. Charles seemed like a good student, and it kind of made her wonder for a minute if she never had to kill Leon, never spent time locked in a tiny room, never learned all the shit about the Alliance and Cerberus … would she someday be a handler herself, responsible for the training and guidance of fresh-blood Phantoms. The thought drove a blade between her ribs, angled right for her heart. She had no doubts she'd end up freelancing with Thane when all was said and done, but it wouldn't be the same. Not to say freelancing and being with Thane didn't have benefits, but with the Phantoms … with the Alliance … she felt proud of herself. Felt like she belonged, like she was _a part of something_ , at least most of the time.

Letting Charles catch his breath, she backed away and stretched out her sore shoulder. Glancing at Ares, she jerked her head, gesturing for him to join her. Charles moved back closer to the breakfast bar and started stretching his own arms, clearing the floor. After finishing his cigarette, Ares walked over to Jasmine and gave her a questioning rumble.

She smiled up at him. "Just stand there and be a giant turian for a couple of minutes. I'm not going for contact."

He huffed, flicking his mandibles and grumbling. She gave him a playful swat and moved around him, gaze roaming over him as she cataloged his stature and unique characteristics. As she moved back to his front, her gaze snagged on something on his right forearm—something she felt pretty certain wasn't there when he stayed with her at her apartment during the Blackwatch mission. Backtracking to look again, she found Charles' name carved deeply into Ares' hide. Her eyebrow twitched, and she reached out, fingertips almost making contact before she caught herself. She'd seen his bite mark scars on Charles' shoulder, the sign of a bonding, but carving Charles' name into his flesh seemed insane for a number of reasons.

Looking up at him, she lifted an eyebrow. "Show me?"

He held his arm out to her but not before rumbling and flicking a mandible. She studied the letters, betting they were carved by Charles himself. Blinking a few more times, she let out a low whistle but didn't say anything. Schooling her features, she nodded before glancing at Charles again. There was _definitely_ something more to the guy than what she already picked up on.

"Alright, so on a turian," she said, waving a hand at Ares, "you probably already know the most sensitive areas?"

 _If not, Ares must be damn disappointed in the bedroom._

Smirking, Charles looked at Ares. "I don't know, what do you think?"

"I'm just acting as a giant turian at the moment," Ares said, the teasing quality to his subvocals making her grin as he shrugged.

Charles stuck his lip out in a pout. "You're no fun."

She snorted. "In a _fight_ , specific to a turian: spurs, mandibles, crest, and as I said, talons. All highly sensitive and not especially difficult to damage. Turians— _most_ turians—will be in enough pain if you break their crest they won't even be able to see straight. Doesn't mean they won't still fight. Hell, they may even fight harder, but it'll give you more control. Mandibles aren't so easy to break, but they're easy to dislocate." She glanced up at Ares. "May I?"

He lifted a brow plate. "Are you asking to grab at my mandibles?"

"I'm asking to put my hand on your mandible to show positioning," she said with a smile, "no yanking, I promise."

Humming, he lowered his voice, dropping in a seductive quality turians seemed so good at, and with his scarred throat, it only added to the prickle across her skin. "Good, because if you were, then we'd be better off going to the bedroom." He bent down a little, turning the unscarred side of his face to her.

"Keep dreaming," she said with a snort. "In the meantime, still spoken for."

* * *

After running Charles through how to target mandibles, she moved on to the spurs, which led to some informative back and forth between her and Ares on the strategic benefits between breaking the spur off completely versus leaving it to hang to inflict more pain later. She'd been taught breaking it off completely hurt like a motherfucker, but Ares swore to leave it hanging and then target it again felt like hitting a knife still sticking out of your body. She guessed it made sense, and really, who better to know than a turian? After, they discussed the turian crest for a while. Despite his initial huffing and puffing, Ares clearly started to enjoy being on display and adding in tidbits of information to help Charles and Jasmine along.

Tugging on Ares' hip, she turned him, and he didn't even hesitate or grumble at her manhandling. "Their dicks may be inside, but they still have a nerve here." She pointed to his groin at the juncture between thigh and plates. "A good knee strike here will double them over." Glancing up at Ares, she waved him down, and he lowered himself without complaint. "Just as with a human, asari, batarian, drell, and maybe krogan if you're brave enough …." She traced the outline of Ares' ear on the side Charles could see.

"You know a drell?" Charles asked.

The question took her by surprise, but she didn't let it show or linger on the topic, just responded with a simple, "I do, and you'll not ask any other questions about him."

 _Why is he curious about drell? Did Ares say something to him about Thane? I swear to God …._

"Ahhh … okay." Regret and wariness filled his voice. "Sorry."

"It's alright," she said and moved on. "Cupping your hands and clapping them over the ear canal creates pressure in the ear, if done right, it can rupture the eardrum." Cupping her hands, she swung them toward Ares' head but stopped before making contact.

Charles mimicked her, cupping his hands when she glanced at him, and she gave him a nod of approval. Reaching behind Ares, she put her fingertips against the base of his skull and then froze. He had a scar there. A very specific type of scar which could only mean one thing. Ares was a biotic. Her gaze flicked to his for a very brief moment, just long enough to make it clear she understood what she felt without drawing too much attention to the matter from Charles.

"They've got plates here, so it's not as effective as with a human, but the plates really don't add much protection. You see how this curves here?" She glanced at Charles, and he nodded. "A solid blow here, especially with something pointed, can cause a blackout." She dropped her hand and patted Ares' shoulder, and he stood up. "Butt of a gun, elbow … whatever."

"Any more turian anatomy lessons?" Ares rumbled, looking back and forth between Jasmine and Charles as he lifted a brow plate.

Smirking, she shifted her weight to one hip and crossed her arms. "Why? Is he bad in bed?"

"Him? No," Ares said, giving her a smirk, "but I would love to see what knowledge on turian anatomy you have in that head of yours."

"I bet you would." She chuckled and then sighed. She felt exhausted, but she didn't really want to go back to her apartment where she knew she'd just spend half the night fighting off the urge to find someone to sell her red sand. She really needed to get some sleep, though, letting herself get too tired made it harder to fight the urge to get high. "I've got to get back. I need to go over a few things and plan. I can swing by tomorrow, though, if you want?" She glanced between the two of them.

"Definitely," Charles said with a nod, and it brought a smile to her face.

"Sounds good." Ares rumbled and nodded, too. "We'll go eat somewhere that actually has decent dextro food. Maybe get shitfaced."

"Mmmm." She waggled her head a little. Christ getting shitfaced sounded good. Maybe _too_ good. "Maybe on getting shitfaced. I'll see what Ray thinks about …. I'll let you know."

Ares snorted. "So, no."

"Don't be an ass." She scoffed and rolled her eyes. "I'm here on work, remember? I have to be a responsible adult at least _some_ of the time."

Nodding, he rumbled and let out a long, weary sigh. "If you have to."

Grinning, she patted him on the shoulder as she moved past him. "You should make time to come say hello while we're here. I'm sure he'd like to see you again."

He hummed, a hint of interest mingling with doubt in his subvocals. "I'll see what I can do once you have your work done."

"Oh." She stopped on her way to the bedroom and turned back. "Charles, do you shoot?"

Charles nodded. "I'm learning."

"Hmmm." She pursed her lips and turned her gaze on Ares. "We could take him to the arena?"

"Ask him," Ares said with a huff. "I'm not his mother. He can do what he wants."

Snorting, she dropped her weight to one hip. As touching as she found it for Ares to willingly allow let her be alone with Charles, she wasn't quite ready for it herself. "I"m not taking your … bondmate to the arena by myself, jackass." She rolled her eyes. Besides, she barely had enough experience in battlefield combat to keep herself from being filled full of imaginary holes. "Do you want to go?"

Ares looked at Charles, a question lingering in his eyes.

"I don't know what she's talking about." Charles shrugged.

Ares sighed. "The arena is a way to weapons test. Instead of shooting immobile, paper targets, you're firing on VI controlled programs that are firing back."

Understanding dawning in his eyes, Charles raised an eyebrow. "Oh, you mean Armax Arsenal Arena?"

Jasmine smiled and gave him a brief nod. "Yep."

"You want me to go into a combat simulator …." Doubt weighed heavy in his voice as he trailed off.

"Yep," she said, dragging the word out. She had pretty much the exact same reaction when Isaac told her that he intended to take her to the arena for the first time.

He glanced at Ares before shrugging. "Okay." He shook his head. "Just don't expect much from me."

Ares hummed. "We'll get you something to go in there with that's more than a shirt and jeans. It's not live rounds, but it'll still hurt if you get hit."

Snorting, Jasmine said, "I'm not allowed to go in with anything but street clothes." She glanced at Charles. "Don't worry, combat like that isn't really my cup of tea, either. But, it's fun."

"You use a rifle," Ares pointed out. "He does not. You can go in there with street clothes." Rumbling, he looked at Charles. "Unless you want to go in with a weapon you've never trained with?" He let out an amused thrum.

"Not really." Charles sidled up next to Ares and wrapped an around his waist. "But I do kinda want to know what it feels like to be shot."

Scoffing, she shook her head. "No, you don't." God, she _never_ wanted to know what it felt like to be shot, but unfortunately, that ship already sailed. She glanced at Ares. "I don't _only_ use a sniper rifle. It's just my favorite."

"You also have years of experience _avoiding_ bullets when he just admitted to _wanting_ to be shot," Ares said, voice dry. "So, no, he won't be going in wearing street clothes." He looked down at Charles. "You won't need armor but at least more protection than something like that," he said, gesturing at what little the man wore.

"What happened to you not being my mother?" Charles asked, grinning up at Ares, and Jasmine laughed.

Ares smirked. "If you really want to feel what it'll be like to be shot at the arena, I can go get my concussive rounds and show you right now."

 _Pfft. Right, sounds like a fantastic idea._

Charles seemed to consider it a moment, and just when Jasmine thought for sure he would say nevermind, he casually said, "Okay."

 _Wait, what? No._

Ares pulled Charles' arm off of him and looked at Jasmine. "Wait around for this." He headed for the bedroom.

"Ares? You can't be serious?" She called after him before turning to look at Charles. "Dude, no, don't do this."

He just shrugged. "I want to know."

"Jesus Christ." She rubbed her forehead.

Ares returned, adjusting the ammo on a pistol. "Pick a spot. Not your head …. I'm not dealing with you having a concussion."

Charles bit his lip, seeming to mull it over.

"You're both insane," she said, rolling her eyes and shaking her head. At least they weren't using actual piercing ammo.

"Shoulder?" Charles asked.

She scoffed. "Not if you want to shoot tomorrow."

He held his hands out to the side, shoulders raised. "Well, where?"

Sucking in a deep breath, resigned to what apparently became inevitable the moment he agreed, she said, "Someplace fatty or muscular, not bone. Not your abdomen, it can break a rib or rupture an organ. I can't believe you're seriously—"

The bark of gunfire cut her off as Ares shot Charles' upper, left thigh.

Howling and doubling over, Charles' leg buckled, taking him to his knees. He cut off the scream, sucking in a hissing breath. "Motherfucker," he said, the word grinding out between clenched teeth. Rocking forward, he dropped his gaze to the floor.

"I told you," she said.

"You would've tensed if I waited," Ares said. "This way, you know what it'd really feel like."

As if tensing really would've made it hurt any less.

Jasmine started to make her way to him, wanting to make sure he was alright and help him up, but his head snapped up as she neared, staring her down. Something dark and insane roared behind those blue eyes, making her shift on reflex, and she just barely caught herself before falling into a fighting stance. Weary, she didn't move any closer. "Are you alright?"

He growled but nodded, pulling himself back to his feet. "Yeah … fuck that hurts."

Whatever she saw in his eyes seemed locked away once more, but she couldn't help noticing the slightly bigger bulge to the front of his pants. _Obviously_ , the man _liked_ pain. Suddenly, Ares' relationship with the guy, of all people, made a hell of a lot more sense. It also made a few more things about Charles make a bit more sense, like his burning desire to learn to fight.

Ares hummed, looking between Charles and Jasmine a moment before clicking on the pistol's safety and tucking it into his waistband. "Come on. Icing it will keep it from seizing up tomorrow."

She laughed, shaking her head as Charles limped over to Ares. "You're both fucking nuts." She turned and headed for the hall. "I'm going to go change my clothes."

* * *

Thane paid an asari ship captain to smuggle him onto Thessia so there'd be no documentation of his ever visiting the planet. Thessia, being the asari homeworld, had rather strict travel regulations, and very few aliens were allowed to visit. Those who did go to Thessia needed a good reason, and their movements about the planet were monitored. Something no assassin could allow.

In order to stay beneath the notice of Air Traffic Control, he purchased a second-hand skycar using a credit chit not linked to any account even tangentially associated with him. Once he completed his contract, he'd sell the car back to the same dealer for half of what he paid. It was a loss of credits, but it made no difference to him and proved the safest option. He took the skycar to Telathanda, staying as low to the ground as possible without drawing attention and avoiding the more densely populated areas.

Dr. Solus left it to him to decide whether to capture or kill Corlina, and the decision resting on his shoulders troubled him. Although clearly dangerous, it didn't seem to be Corlina's fault; something outside of her control altered her, forced her to become disconnected. Capturing her and turning her over to Thessian authorities created complications, risking his exposure and leaving the possibility the deranged asari might escape once more and hurt someone. Killing her, especially if he were to attempt to leave Thessia with her corpse, would be no easy matter, either. Both options required him to break religious laws of the people who lived on the planet, and that alone disturbed him greatly. Still, he'd accepted the contract because under no circumstances could Corlina be left to roam and create havoc.

The closer he got to the Telathandaian ruins, though, the less certain he became about any course of action. Dread filled him, starting as an itch at the base of his skull and moving down his spine until the muscles in his back and shoulders tensed and refused to relax. Weaving through the jungle, low beneath the canopy, light shifting to shadows and back again played tricks on his eyes, making him think more than once someone followed him, but every time he looked, he saw no sign of pursuit. When at last the trees began to clear, opening up into the ruins, he lowered the skycar on a slab of splintered stone.

His ears rang, a low, barely noticeable buzz of sound which set his teeth on edge. The scents of petrichor and ozone filled his nostrils, and the air felt heavy as if a storm approached despite the reported drought for the area and the clear skies. It made it difficult to breathe and his chest ached. Moving across the mossy mix of stone and soil, the buzzing grew louder the closer he got to the center of the ruins where the images showed Corlina's dig site. Dark and slimy, he almost felt the tendrils of corrupt noise sliding over his scales. His instinct told him to turn and run, but instead he pulled his battle sleep as tightly around him as possible and said his prayers.

The buzzing became whispered voices, just outside his range of hearing. Malevolent, ancient voices filled with hunger and a desire to reap. He couldn't make out what they said, nor where they came from. He only _felt_ their cold indifference to the suffering of life deep inside his bones. The asari considered the land sacred, but he knew it must be cursed. Focusing on his breathing, he pushed at the voices, refusing them access to his mind as he cleared his thoughts and continued through the ruins.

The familiar sensation of spent eezo resulting from the use of biotics surrounded him, and he stopped, tilting his head to the side to listen. The voices prickled at his consciousness, but he pushed them aside again, sparing only a fleeting moment to fear whatever afflicted Sahnira and Corlina was also happening to him. The thrum of biotic energy gave him direction, and he started moving again, unholstering his pistol as he went. Staying to the shadows, he crept along the walls and piles of rubble, using them as cover to remain concealed from Corlina.

He spotted her, a whirlwind of biotic energy surrounding her, far more than she should even be capable of possessing. The blue flames picked up dirt and stone, flinging it aside, the hole she made easily three times as deep as what he saw in the images Dr. Solus showed him. The … _thing_ she worked to uncover repulsed him on sight, his eyes didn't want to behold the abomination. He had no clue what it was, only that it felt _wrong_.

Dark, metallic protrusions spread wide and outward like claws straining to burst free and claim the sky. Beyond his sight, something within the hole glowed with the brilliant blue-white of mass effect energy. The longer he looked, the louder the haunting whispers grew, yet he still couldn't understand a word they spoke. He pulled his battle sleep tighter around him and raised his weapon, calling out to the asari, some part of him still hoping to save her, "Corlina!"

* * *

Jasmine tilted her head back, letting the hot water rain down over her face as she held her breath, counting slow and steady in her head. It was a trick Karin taught her early on, something to help her fight her cravings, a way to take a break, so to speak, when they became overwhelming.

 _Karin …._

The images from the police reports flashed through her memory, Karin's face so black and blue … swollen nearly beyond recognition. Furrowing her brow, she squeezed her eyelids tighter closed and shifted her face out of the water enough to suck in another breath of air. She trembled, though whether from cravings or grief, she didn't know.

She waited a few more minutes, and when the exercises to clear he mind just didn't work, she turned off the shower and stepped out. It only took her a few minutes to dry off and get dressed before leaving her apartment again. She'd promised Isaac if things got too bad, she'd go to him, and so she did. Stopping in front of his door, right next to hers, she rang the buzzer and wrapped her arms around herself while she waited. A minute later, he opened the door with sleep-filled eyes, stepping aside to let her in without saying a word.

"I don't want to be alone," she said, stepping inside. "But I really don't want to _talk_ about it, either. Can I sleep here tonight?"

"Yeah, of course." He closed and locked the door behind her before heading toward the light coming from his bedroom. "Let me grab a few things, and I'll crash on the couch."

She followed him down the hall, chewing on her lip, still hugging herself. She stopped in the doorway, debating a moment before finally deciding it really couldn't hurt to ask. "Will you stay in here with me?" Her voice cracked, way too much emotion seeping through.

He froze in the process of pulling a sheet down out of the closet, his back still to her, and she just knew he'd say no. She'd crossed a line, she understood and didn't blame him at all. When exactly did she become such a fucking wreck? She really didn't understand why he didn't throw her ass back to the wolves the first time she fucked up. She parted her lips, just about to recant when he turned and looked at her, brow furrowed.

"You want me to sleep in here? With you?" Tone incredulous, his eyebrow made a slow climb up his forehead. "In the same bed?"

Embarrassed and for some reason utterly ashamed, she shook her head and fought back the tears biting at her eyes. "Yeah, that's weird. Sorry, nevermind. Just ignore me." She cleared her throat a little. "I can sleep on the couch, I don't want to kick you out of your bed."

He just stood there watching her for a moment longer, the weight of his gaze starting to make her uneasy and want to squirm. Finally, he jerked his head toward the bed and said, "I'll stay, lay down."

Swallowing against the knot in her throat, a tear escaped the confines of her lids and slid down her cheek, making her sniffle and swipe it away. "Thanks," she managed with barely more than a whisper as she made her way to the bed and kicked off her shoes.

Grunting, he moved to turn off the lights. "Just keep your hands to yourself and we'll be good. Scoot over, that's my side."

She snorted and slipped over to the other side of the bed, pulling the blanket up around herself and tucked in under her chin. "I don't know if I can make such a difficult promise," she said, lacing her tone with sarcasm and humor.

The bed dipped behind her, his warmth filling the empty space. "Uh huh. You will if you don't want to end up on the floor over there." He chuckled, tugging at the blankets. "Jesus, I don't think I've _ever_ actually had a woman in my bed."

* * *

Despite his shit talking, Jasmine awoke to Isaac's arm slung over her shoulder, his warm chest pressed against her back, long leg draped over hers, pinning her to the mattress. Body shaking with suppressed laughter, a giggle slipped free when he tensed and then made the most amusing, near squeal of sound, quickly pulling away from her.

"Shut up. That didn't happen," he said, sitting up on the edge of the bed.

She rolled over, grinning at the back of his head as he swept his palm over his scalp. "It _totally_ happened. But hey, at least you didn't have morning wood."

Reaching to the side, he grabbed a pillow and flung it at her face without looking, but it only made her laugh harder. "Bossman," she said between giggles as she pulled herself under control, "snuggling up to a warm body in the night is instinctual. I know it's nothing sexual, and I'm not even remotely bothered by it, so relax."

Putting his palm to the mattress, he twisted at the waist to look back at her, shaking his head. "God, why do I put up with you?"

Mood suddenly sobering, she sucked in a slow, deep breath. "I ask myself that every day."

He studied her for a moment, gaze seeming to look for something particular in her face. Letting out a sigh, he laid back, throwing his feet up on the bed and holding out his arm, waving her over. "Come here," he said.

Hesitating until he waggled his fingers again, she scooted closer to him, laying her head on his shoulder, body angled a little away from his. He shifted a little, folding his arm down to rest his hand on the top of her head. She expected him to say something, but he didn't, so neither did she.

After several, long minutes of silence, he sighed. "Sunshine … you've got a good heart, and I admire it about you. You may not always have your head in the right place, but who doesn't screw up from time to time? This last year has been a rough one for you. I get that, and I'm not holding it against you. I got you, alright? I _got_ you."

Eyes starting to sting with the threat of tears, she sucked in a deep breath and closed her eyes. Rolling over to her side, she tucked her arms in between the two of them. "Thank you, Isaac."

* * *

Jasmine eased the metal panel aside, peering down through the cracks into the warehouse portion of Citadel Souvenirs. She'd spoken to Charles earlier in the morning and knew both Cammus and Mahlia were at lunch, leaving him the only employee in the store for an hour. Still, she wanted to be absolutely certain the area was empty. She didn't see anyone, so she finished sliding the panel aside and opened her omni-tool.

Hacking into the store's security feeds, she began recording a five-minute loop. An empty room with no automatic equipment was the best for looping feeds, she didn't have to worry about any repetitive movements drawing the attention of anyone who might see the recording. Setting the security feed to play the loop, she lowered herself through the hole. The shelves were high enough and stable enough, she didn't even need to concern herself with getting down to the floor or getting back up once finished her job.

Moving on silent feet, she crept to the edge of the shelf and turned, using the side like a ladder to make her way down. Once on the floor, she took a second to orientate herself and then began scanning crates. She moved as fast and as quiet as possible, not wanting to give Charles any reason to even think about leaving his workstation. As a courtesy to Ares, she'd given Charles a heads up. Well, as much of one as she could afford, anyway. But it didn't mean she'd want him back there sticking his nose into things while she did her job.

As soon as all the crates were scanned, Werin's inventory located and cataloged, she climbed back up the shelf. Pulling herself back through the opening in the ceiling, she reactivated the security camera's normal feed and slid the panel back into place.

* * *

She waited for the salarian inside his apartment, quietly examining his things while she killed time. She didn't touch anything, of course, just looked. He had an interesting collection of weapons himself; everything from an asari huntress' sword to an HMWSR.

 _Hmm. Spectre grade … he definitely shouldn't have that. Ohhhhhh, I want it. But stealing from the target unless it's part of the plan is a big no-no. Damn it._

Omni-tool vibrating against her wrist, alerting her to Werin's approach, she drew her pistol and screwed on the silencer. She moved into his darkened bedroom where she could track his movements from the shadows until ready to strike. She listened as the door opened, counting footsteps as the smuggler hummed to himself, a tired, sad tune which _almost_ made her feel bad for what she intended to do. He crossed into her field of vision, dropping a messenger bag to the floor next to an overstuffed chair before heading into the kitchen. She didn't have eyes on him from her angle, so she strained to listen, picking up on sounds of water running and dishes clanking.

A few minutes later, Werin entered the living room again, carrying a bowl and a glass of water. Setting the glass on the table, he eased into the chair, folding his legs up under himself. He turned on the vidscreen, flipping through the channels before stopping on some documentary about the Krogan Rebellions.

Stepping out of the room, she slunk down the hall, and raised her weapon, taking aim at the back of Werin's head. Measuring her breathing, she squeezed the trigger on her exhale.


	63. The Time Has Come

**The Time Has Come**

Biotics faltering, Corlina's head snapped toward him, eyes eerily void of any emotion. There was no soul behind that gaze. He'd been mistaken; she could not be saved.

She opened her mouth and screamed, a high-pitched wail, the sound of the truly deranged. The whispered voices turned angry, battering at his battle sleep as the asari pulled her biotics back around her. Thane didn't hesitate, lining up a shot, he pulled the trigger but a movement out of the corner of his eye caused him to lose aim and the shot went wide. Black wisps of … _something_ reached toward him from the depths of the pit Corlina dug as if the vile artifact intended to attack him as well.

Horror-stricken, he stood and stared, lips parting in preparation to implore the gods to make sense of what he saw. Before fully regaining his senses, instinct demanded he flee. He took a step back, heel scraping across the stone. Biotics hit him, flinging him against a crumbling wall of the ruins, nearly stealing the breath right from his lungs. Gasping and groaning, he rolled the moment he hit the ground, finding cover behind the same wall. Fear clawed at him, tattering the edges of his battle sleep. Pressing his back to the wall, he peered over the top, only to find Corlina returned to uprooting the artifact as if he'd never disturbed her work. Yet still, the tendrils of evil sought him out.

He stood, finding his courage again, and took aim once more. Steady and unwavering, he ignored the darkness moving towards him and shot the asari in the head. She staggered and collapsed, biotic energy flickering in and out around her as, even in her dying moments, she worked to move dirt and rock away from the artifact.

* * *

After having dinner with Ares and Charles at some place called Steel and Stone, they'd headed to Armax Arsenal Arena. Killing Werin did something for her, quieted the urge to use, at least for a little while. She'd found peace in that span of nothingness, in the place between exhaling and the death of her target, and she hoped to find it again in the arena.

Laughing and joking around with the two lovebirds helped some, too, but it wasn't like the weightlessness she'd felt when she'd pulled the trigger. She and Ares waited outside the changing stalls for Charles, having already applied their sensor nodes. Watching Ares out of her peripherals, she changed the ammo in her weapons over to the fake crap the arena provided.

He didn't say anything, didn't even bother to look at her, but she had a feeling he knew she watched him after a few seconds. Finally, the door to Charles' stall opened, and he stepped out, movements stilted and awkward, likely trying to adjust to the light armor Ares' got for him. She looked over the tall, lean man, wondering again about whatever it was she saw in his eyes the night before.

She still hadn't mentioned the ensuing hunt for Cerberus to Ares; learning of his relationship with Charles made her second guess her decision to include the turian, what with it being so dangerous. She had a feeling, if something happened to Ares, Charles would be set adrift, lost and aimless in the galaxy. She didn't know if she wanted to be responsible for that.

She holstered her weapons and crossed the floor to Charles, reaching in her pocket to pull out the earpiece she had for him. Turning it on, she moved a little closer and glanced up at him. "Bend down a little?"

He glanced past her, probably looking at Ares, before doing as she asked. She slipped the comm into his ear, chuckling at his cringe. She didn't like them a whole lot, either. But, Ares was right, they really did help to coordinate things in the Arena, and without them on the Blackwatch job, she'd have died on that rooftop.

"Just tap it when you want to speak to us," she said as she stepped back.

Fingers cautiously exploring the device, he said, "This is incredibly uncomfortable."

She grinned. "Yep."

"Stop bitching like two children," Ares said.

She was really getting tired of being called and treated like a child, but if he wanted to keep seeing her as one, well then maybe she'd act like one. Before the idea fully formed in her mind, she'd pulled her pistol, turned, and shot Ares in the ass. There was no real damage done, of course, she'd changed out her ammo and only the sensors registering the shot made him feel pain. Grinning despite his snarl and glare, she re-holstered her weapon. "You're not the boss of me."

"If you'd prefer, I can cut your comm and you fly alone." Ares' flicked a mandible. "I _was_ going to offer you take the majority of the high ground, but if you're going to shoot us …."

She'd meant it to be funny, and yeah, reprimanding at the same time, but clearly, he didn't appreciate either intention. She fought the urge to narrow her eyes at him. Did he really expect her to back down from a challenge … a challenge which was so cocky it basically added insult to injury to begin with.

"Us?" She glanced at Charles, raising an eyebrow. "Did I shoot you?"

Chuckling, even though the look on his face made it seem she'd nearly given him a heart attack, he shook his head. "Don't think so."

Ares flicked a mandible and resumed checking over his weapons without saying anything else. Anger rolled off of him, and she knew she'd have to clean up the mess later. She seemed to be good at making messes with Ares. To be fair, he was pretty good at making them with her, too, she just didn't make as big of a thing out of it as he did. Well … she supposed that wasn't entirely true. Last time, she'd just beaten the ever living shit out of someone else, instead.

Retrieving her sniper rifle from where she'd laid it on the shelf, she strapped it over her back and rolled her shoulders. "Are we ready?"

* * *

The corruption found him. Vaporous, yet thick and strong, vines of death wrapped around him, grabbing a hold of his wrists and ankles, twining themselves around his chest and waist, twisting around his throat. He pulled and struggled against the abominations, but he felt his feet moving forward as if he were nothing more than a child's plaything.

Like a comm whose static finally cleared, the voices sounded loud in his ear. "The Harvest has begun. Submit. Your resistance will only bring you further pain."

Images forced their way into his mind. Enormous, dark, metal creatures creating devastating amounts of death and destruction. Fires consumed destroyed buildings, bodies of unknown species lay dead in the streets. Monsters roamed, ripping people apart as they desperately fought for their lives.

"The time has come. This cycle is complete."

"No," Thane said, pushing back against the voices and the terrible things they showed him.

Somewhere in the mix, Corlina's voice spoke to him from months past. " _I … I don't know how to describe them. They were enormous, and frightening … and beautiful."_

"No!" He felt his lips move, throat vibrating, lungs protesting with the force of air he sucked in and shoved out of him, but the sound of his voice never reached his ears.

* * *

She'd spent a good portion of her time flushing out targets from her sniper's nest, getting them lined up for Charles to take down. His training was supposed to be the point of their excursion, after all. Every now and again, she took a kill shot, just to feel that moment of reprieve from the itching in her veins.

When she heard Ares' command for Charles to change positions, she decided she'd done enough sniping for a bit. It was time for her to leave her perch and get into the thick of things. Moving from roof to roof, she slung her sniper rifle onto her back and traded it out for her pistol. She stopped to watch as Charles moved around a building, covering the flank as Ares told him to. If shooting at realistic targets bothered the man, he didn't let it show. In fact … he seemed to enjoy it every bit as much as Ares—as she did.

Attention focused down one side of an alley, he didn't seem to realize he'd left his back exposed. The VI, did, however. An asari edged closer to him, moving from cover to cover, probably trying to get within biotic range. Jasmine cocked her head to the side watching a moment longer as she decided on a course of action. Moving down a ladder, she dropped the rest of the way to the ground behind Charles.

He jerked and turned, pistol raised and moving to come into line with her. She reached out, blocking his wrist and knocking his gun away. His gaze found hers, and she grinned, lifting her own weapon to fire at the asari from over his shoulder. Charles glanced behind him before looking back at her, understanding dawning in his eyes. She activated her tactical cloak and took off down an alley without a word. She heard the last shot fired before the VI chimed, signaling the end of the round.

* * *

Pain wracked his body, doubling him over, threatening to take him to his knees but he fought against it. Unconsciousness loomed in the distance, and Thane knew, if he didn't find a way to break the artifacts hold over him, he would soon be lost to the same insanity he'd witnessed in Sahnira and Corlina both. Desperate, he dove for the memory of the woman who gave him hope and a reason to live.

"Siha, save me."

* * *

She spent half the next round on the ground, moving between shadows as she took out her targets. Each caress of her trigger relaxing something deep and dark within her—a thing that clawed at her mind while awake and dominated her dreams as she slept. She made a circuit of the arena twice, picking off lone wolves who strayed too far from the pack … too far from Ares and Charles' immediate attention.

Since Karin's murder … since her relapse, she'd felt out of sync with everyone and everything else around her, but there, in the arena as she put a fake bullet in the back of a fake salarian's head, things came back into focus. The galaxy was a big, big place, full of predators and prey. She was a predator, an apex predator, and she surrounded herself with others of her ilk. But that didn't make her evil; she didn't prey on the innocent and defenseless the way the men who killed Karin did. The way Leon did. The way Cerberus did. The way the Alliance did.

It killed some part of her, knowing the people she'd sworn her life to obey and serve, people she _thought_ stood for good and just things could be involved in something so reprehensible … but the evidence was there. She'd paid Avalina to find it, and the asari came through. The time for hope and doubts had passed.

Finding a decent vantage point, she switched back to her sniper rifle. Eye to the scope, she spotted Ares and Charles, taking in the scene unfolding around them. Charles' voice came over the comm, warning Ares of a human moving in on his six, and Jasmine readjusted, finding the target and locking him in her sights. She breathed in, filling her lungs with warm, recycled air, and brushed her finger over the trigger as she exhaled. Peace. Beautiful, quiet peace, and the man's head exploded.

* * *

Thane fought to hold on to the memories of Jasmine's face, her soft, gentle smile and the warm caress of her fingers over his scales. The artifact latched on to them, pulled at them, tried to wrest them from his grasp. He would not— _could not_ —allow harm to come to her; the things the artifact said to him, showed him … he mustn't allow them to come to pass. He had to fight, for Jasmine and for Kolyat.

 _Kolyat._

His son's face danced on the back of his eyelids, completely overwhelming him, and he collapsed.

* * *

Jasmine's cloak dropped as she wrapped her hands around an asari's chin and head, jerking to the side and snapping the simulated commando's neck. Letting go, she left the VI to register the asari's death and spun, drawing a knife from the sheath around her waist and flinging it through the air. The blade embedded between a salarian's eyes, ending the match. She wasn't ready for it to end yet, though, and one look at Ares told her the turian still had plenty of steam to blow off himself.

Retrieving her knife, she made her way to him. "Hey. How about we run through another match? I'll stick with Charles, you go do your thing." Tilting her head, she shoved her thumb back over her shoulder. "Tear some shit apart with your bare hands?"

Ares flicked his mandibles before pulling them in tight against his jaw, but he nodded to her before turning to face Charles' approach.

Flicking blood off her blade, she sheathed it and met Charles' gaze. "Ready for another match?"

He took a moment to look back and forth between her and Ares before nodding. "Sure."

"Great. You're going to stick with me through this one, cool?" she asked with a smile.

"Uh …." He looked at Ares again, and Jasmine started to wonder if the guy was capable of wiping his own ass without Ares' go ahead. "Okay."

Ares used his omni-tool to start a new match before heading off by himself. Listening to the VI run through its announcements, Jasmine checked her pistol over before nodding her head toward a half-ruined building. Without comment, she started jogging, listening to the sound of his feet slapping against the pavement as he followed behind her.

* * *

Thane blinked. He was walking through the jungle, Corlina's corpse dangling from his arms. But a moment before ….

"How …." He stopped, turning in a slow circle. Casting out a net to search his memories, trying to understand how he got there when it seemed only a heartbeat before he'd arrived at the ruins, he reeled in nothing.

Not a single memory.

It terrified him.

"Arashu, preserve me." He looked down at Corlina's face, violet blood dried along her cheek, still slowly dripping from the gunshot wound to her head. He didn't even remember pulling the trigger.

All he knew was he wanted nothing more than to rush to Jasmine's side. Which was precisely why, given the circumstances, he must keep his distance until he knew he could be trusted. He'd return to Omega instead, speak with Dr. Solus and have the doctor examine him. Thoroughly. If the doctor believed him to be of sound mind, _then_ he would find his siha. And when he did, he must tell her everything, she must be warned.

 _Warned of what?_

* * *

She sat sideways in her old booth at Chora's Den, back to the wall as she watched the dancers moving across the bar's surface. They'd been there awhile, long enough for her to nurse a couple of drinks, trying to remain mindful of her current state of vulnerability to intoxicating substances. She'd finally given in, sucked it up, and apologized to Ares. She didn't buy his 'it's fine' bullshit any more than she would've from anyone else, but she'd let it go, knowing him at least well enough to understand he wasn't exactly the 'talk shit through' type. Eventually, he'd unclenched enough for them to have a decent, relaxed conversation while he put away the horosk.

Letting her gaze roam the bar, a turian in blue armor caught her eye, and she backtracked.

 _Garrus. Fuck me. Why tonight?_

 _Shit, Ares doesn't want Garrus to know he's still alive._

Shifting her attention back to the dancers, she weighed out her options for a moment. The chances of the three of them getting out of there without being spotted seemed pretty slim, especially since Garrus had on that damn visor of his and appeared content to linger by the door. But maybe … maybe she could at least draw his attention away from Ares, give Ares a chance to get out without being seen. She couldn't really say anything in front of Charles, though. Despite Ares telling her that Charles knew him better than she did, it didn't mean Charles knew all of the _same_ pieces of information about Ares as she did. Nor did it mean he _wanted_ Charles to know.

Pulling out a credit chit, she tossed it on the table as she glanced at the two men and said, "I want to dance."

Sliding out of the booth, she didn't wait to give either of them the opportunity to respond. Adding a little extra wobble to her step, made her way to the bar and started climbing. One of the dancers caught sight of her and moved closer, smiling and holding out a hand to help Jasmine up. Not that she _actually_ needed the help, but if she wanted her plan to work, she needed to appear drunker than she truly was. Throwing her arms around the asari's shoulders, Jasmine tugged her in closer, stupid grin plastered on her face, and started dancing, movements designed to draw as many eyes to her as possible.

Keeping her gaze on the asari, she watched the crowd in her peripherals. It only took a few seconds for Garrus to move into her line of sight, very obviously staring up at her, fluttering his mandibles in amusement. It was only a few seconds after when Ares lifted his glass in the air, tipping it in her direction. Good. He saw Garrus and understood. Not long after, he got up and disappeared into the crowd, leaving an alarmed-looking Charles alone at the table.

She fought back the urge to frown, not really understanding why Ares left his bondmate behind, but she wouldn't draw any undue attention to Charles if she could help it. So, she smiled and danced, body pressing against the asari's as her hips swayed, feeling half the eyes in the club watching her. Letting Garrus catch her gaze, she grinned and winked at him. Mandibles fluttering and flaring, his eyes widened a bit before his shoulders shook with laughter. A moment later, he moved on, making his way to a table where a couple of other people already sat.

A minute later, Charles made his way up to the bar and called out to her. She barely heard the 'Ramona' over the crowd, but she deliberately ignored him anyway, going with the flow of her charade. He moved a little closer and reached out, tugging on her pant leg as he called out to her again.

 _So much for not drawing attention to him._

"Dance with me!" she said, turning her smile on him and holding her hand out. Her gut told her that he wouldn't dare, but if he did, she'd find an excuse to get down instead. With a little luck, he'd just leave her there and leave the club.

He chuckled, shaking his head. "I think we should get you home. Why don't you come on down?"

"Do I have to?" Huffing, she stuck her lower lip out in a pout.

 _Come on, Charles. Take the hint and go._

"She wants to stay, let her stay," the asari said, her grip on Jasmine's hip tightening a little.

"She's got to be up early in the morning," he said to the dancer before looking back at Jasmine. Something in the tight lines of his face and the widening of his gaze pleaded with her, telling her that he was doing something he didn't really want to do, but he was determined to see it through. "Remember?"

 _Ares told you to do this, didn't he? Alright, I'll play along._

Letting out an exaggerated sigh, she rolled her eyes. "Yeah," she said, squatting down in front of him and putting her hands on his shoulders. "Help me down."

Charles lifted her from the bar, setting her back on her feet and holding her steady as she deliberately swayed.

She grinned and tapped her finger against his nose. "Take me home, handsome."

His laughter betrayed a nervousness she doubted anyone else would pick up, especially over the noise of the crowd. But he was doing well, handling the situation with grace. She wondered what exactly Ares said to him before taking off. She let him lead her to the door, leaning her weight against his side and stumbling over her own feet.

Away from the thump of bass and halfway to the Citadel Rapid Transit stand, she glanced up at Charles, finding fear in the mix of emotions on his tightened features. He glanced around every so often, seeming to look for Ares, and every second he didn't find the turian, it seemed to make him tenser.

"He'll find us," she said, keeping her voice soft and low despite there being no one around to hear her. "Don't worry."

Meeting her gaze, he stopped to call a taxi. "You know what's going on?" he asked, voice just as low but drenched in worry and hope.

"Yeah." She shifted her weight off of him but stayed leaning against him, making it look as if he held her up. "But it's not for me to say."

* * *

Jasmine suggested they stop by a store and get something to drink, figuring Ares might need it after the close call and the tense day. She'd been right. The turian paced agitatedly in the apartment when they arrived, seeming far more disjointed than she'd ever seen him before. Cracking open a bottle of horosk, she moved close enough for him to grab the bottle as he passed by.

"Why was he there? _Why_? Of all the places …." He drank and paced some more before coming to a stop in front of her, the crazy in his gaze making her hackles rise. "Did you know he'd be there? Is he still following you?"

Sucking in a deep breath, she balled her hands into fists, tracking him as he started pacing again. "I haven't been on the Citadel since I was shot, Ares. I haven't seen him since I've been back. He's a fucking cop, and we were in his jurisdiction. Fuck if I know why he was there. Maybe he was called in for something. Or _maybe_ he wanted to blow off some steam, get wasted, and fuck an asari."

"No." He let out a quiet growl and shook his head, halting to swallow heavily from the bottle. "No, he can't go there. That's not a place for C-Sec …. Is he stupid? What the fuck is he _thinking_?" He flicked his mandibles, taking another drink and bringing a hand to his forehead. "He isn't supposed to _be there_ …."

 _Alrighty then. He's either had way too much to drink, or he's gone over the deep end._

Not giving a fuck how derisive her snort sounded, she turned her back on him and made her way to the breakfast bar. "Yeah, well, I'll be sure to tell him that the next time I talk to him, _if_ I ever talk to him again." Sitting down with her back against the bar, she opened the bottle of rum she bought for herself and took a big gulp.

 _And so much for minding my intake. Sonofabitch, I went out of my way to make sure he didn't see you, and you accuse me of—what?—setting you up? And what the fuck is this about 'he isn't supposed to be there'? He's a grown ass man, he'll go wherever the hell he wants._

Charles made an attempt to soothe Ares, moving in close to the turian, worry and trepidation clear in his eyes. He definitely came across to her as high strung, and she idly wondered what happened in his life to make him that way. Ares let Charles wrap him up in an embrace as they talked quietly to one another, but it didn't last long before the turian pulled back, grabbing Charles' shoulder and shaking him a little as if in emphasis to the adamancy that Garrus simply _did not_ belong in Chora's Den.

After a little more back and forth, Ares asked Charles to give him a minute. Agreeing, Charles suggested she join him out on the balcony. She gave Ares a wide berth as she made her way to the sliding, glass door. Just in case. She'd never seen him so rattled and didn't really know what to expect. Didn't entirely know where she stood with the turian.

Out on the balcony, Charles closed the door behind them most of the way and lit a cigarette. He offered her the pack, and after a moment, she decided why the hell not. She'd had one earlier, in Chora's Den. Might as well make more bad decisions, the night was still young.

"Is this why you got on the bar?" he asked after a few moments of silence.

"Yep." She took a drag and exhaled before adding, "Figured if he was looking at me, he wouldn't be looking at Ares."

"Thanks." He leaned against the balcony railing not far from her.

Turning her head to look at him, she just watched him for a few seconds before nodding. "No problem."

It seemed like a genuine expression of gratitude to her, one clearly stemming for his love and concern for Ares—something Ares could use a lesson in. She thought about the conversation they'd had at Steel and Stone; Charles said Ares loved him, even if he didn't know it himself. Ares' ambiguous response seemed to shut Charles down, and she understood why. Ares just didn't seem _capable_ of expressing that level of emotion—positive emotion, anyway. But she thought he was right.

They smoked in silence until she heard the shower start in the apartment, and the dog scratched at the door. Charles opened it a little wider, letting Eezo outside.

"For what it's worth …" She paused to smoke and look at him, seizing the opportunity with Ares outside of earshot to _really_ talk to Charles. "… even if he doesn't say it, I can tell you mean the world to him."

He gave her a sad smile. "Yeah … I know." But he didn't really seem entirely convinced.

Humming, she turned her attention back out over the Citadel. "I don't think he lets many people in like that, you must be pretty damn special."

"I could say the same about you," he said with a dry snort.

She took a deep drag, slowly shaking her head. "Honestly?" Taking another drag, she let it seep back out of her. "When it comes down to it, I think he more _tolerates_ me than _likes_ me. But … it works for us. In our profession, it's even harder to trust another assassin. He took a chance on me, though, and he's helped me out quite a bit. More than what he probably even realizes." She chuckled. "He doesn't _get_ me, though. And I keep pissing him off, so I guess we'll just have to see how things wind up between us in the long haul. Either way, I trust him not to betray anything I've told him, and I'll keep his secrets, too."

After a minute, Charles spoke up again, voice guarded but sad, "I don't think he always gets me, either."

"I bet he feels the same way," she said after a long drag.

"Why do you say that?" He turned, leaning his hip against the railing and watching her.

Arching an eyebrow, she asked, "How could you?"

Furrowing his brow, his jaw clenched before his lips parted, anger sparking in his eyes. Chuckling, she held up a hand and shook her head to stop him from blowing a gasket.

She licked her lips and pulled in a deep breath. "I don't mean it like that. I just mean … the things we know … the things we're trained to do, it permeates every aspect of our lives." Turning more towards him, she studied him, watching for a sign that what she was saying hit home. She didn't know why, but she _needed_ him to understand. "We begin to see _everyone_ we come across as a potential target, assessing how best to kill them with a single glance. We never go _anywhere_ without being alert for threats. Our weapons are _always_ within reach. We have to hide behind aliases and disguises so much that sometimes we start to forget who we really are."

Rubbing her fingers over her forehead, she took a second to collect herself and said, "All of our relationships—those of us who _allow_ ourselves to have relationships—are built on a foundation of _fear_. Fear that one day, someone will go after the people we love in retribution for a life _we_ took." She shook her head, trying not to dwell on what happened to Irikah and the way Thane tortured himself for years. "And so much more I can't even begin to explain … add that to the shit he went through—I don't know what he's told you, and that's fine, I don't need to know, but it was bad. It'd fuck anyone up, make them harder for anyone else to understand."

Charles swallowed and took a deep breath. "I … I want to get him."

She gave him a soft smile and offered him the bottle of rum. "He knows. And it sounds like he's letting you _get_ him as much as he _can_."

"I fucked up," he said and then hesitated as if he wasn't sure he wanted to expand on the statement. Taking the bottle from her, he took a few swallows, seeming to look for courage in the liquor. "We got in a bad fight a while back, and I said some fucked up shit. I thought I'd lost him."

"He's here now." She took a drag, turning her attention back out over the balcony but watching him from the corner of her eye.

He rubbed a hand over his face and through his hair as he took a deep breath. "Yeah … I'm just terrified I'll get something wrong again." Oh, and he was. She heard it in his voice, clear as day, and it explained so much about how nervous he seemed with Ares at times.

"Listen," she said, turning to lean her hip against the railing so she faced him. "You can't do that to yourself. You can't do that to him. If you're spending every moment the two of you have together walking around on eggshells because you're worried about upsetting him, you're doing the both of you an injustice. Be true to yourself, be the person he fell for—because, honey, he carved your fucking name into his arm, so he's definitely fallen for you—and things will find a way to work out."

Charles scoffed, picking at his cigarette butt with his thumbnail. "Maybe."

"No maybe. Definitely." She grinned, reaching out and gently shoving his shoulder. "Don't you remember I'm always right?"

* * *

Waking up when she heard the bedroom door hiss open, she'd sat up on the couch and started gathering her things. She hadn't expected Ares to invite her to spend the night on the couch after everything, but she took it as a sign of him trying to mend things between them, so she'd agreed. Her head hurt a little, and she felt dehydrated, but it wasn't too bad. Despite everything, she didn't end up drinking herself into a stupor the night before. A miracle probably only brought on by her need to stay alert and aware of her surroundings, not entirely comfortable on their couch.

They'd all stayed up later than they probably should've, drinking and talking. Turned out the scar on Ares' head wasn't from a biotic amp but a dampener, and it gave him bad headaches. The giant vidscreen she'd noted in the apartment when she first met Charles was a purchase _Ares_ made … after shooting Charles' old vidscreen—which Charles suspected Ares did for no other reason than to have an excuse to buy Charles a better one. None of it was especially important information, but they were little pieces added to the puzzle, causing the slightest of alterations to her perception of Ares.

Ares passed by her, giving her an acknowledging grunt on his way out to the balcony. After retrieving her shoes, she followed him.

"Hey," she said as she stepped out, slipping her jacket on over her arms. "I've got to head out. Check in with Ray. I'll be putting in an anonymous C-Sec report today about smuggling at Citadel Souvenirs. It needs to be before Werin's usual shift, so let Charles know they'll show up while he's at work?"

He hummed around a drag of his cigarette. "No."

"No?" she asked, curious but not passing judgment on his decision as she leaned against the railing next to him.

"If he knows to expect them, he won't act right." He flicked ash. "He's not all that smooth when it comes to hiding information."

She chuckled, turning sideways. "Fair enough. So, uh … I ended up talking to Ray about the shit with Cerberus. Long story short, we're going to be going after them. You mentioned wanting in on it if I decided to make the move. Still interested?"

Rumbling, he nodded and turned to her. "Just point me in the right direction, and I'll have at it."

Grinning she held up a hand. "I need to let you know first, it's not just going to be the three of us. Tannor will be involved, as well as a couple of his contacts and another guy who works under Ray. Are you going to be okay with that?"

He took another drag and returned to looking out over the Citadel. "I figured as much about the drell … but I'm fine with the rest so long as we keep me as just 'a friend'. No digging around."

She nodded, completely expecting such a request. Hell, they'd all probably say the same in regards to everyone else, too. "Sure. I'll make sure people know to leave you alone. One of the contacts who may join us is another drell who helps us gather intel, he's nosey, but he'll back off when told to. He wouldn't be doing much fighting, but he'd help us get through doors and systems faster. There'll be an asari, ex-commando. She's good people. They both are. I trust them. The other guy, I don't really like, but I trust him to do his job. He and I butt heads a little. They'll be coming in now that my job's over on the Citadel. I'll give you the chance to meet everyone in a more neutral setting before heading out."

He blew out smoke, watching as it dispersed in the air. "Sounds good."

"Good deal. I'll check back in with you later." She pushed off the railing. "Tell Charles I said bye."

"Will do," he said, not looking at her.


End file.
